Detection of child abuse by Dutch preventive child-healthcare doctors and nurses:Has it changed?

Abstract Objective Child maltreatment (i.e., abuse and neglect) is a major cause of child morbidity and death. It is a principal topic in community child-healthcare services yet little is known about the actual detection of suspected cases. We examined trends in this detection, as well as the characteristics of parents and children associated with higher rates of detection. Methods We obtained data on suspected cases of physical maltreatment, as well as of emotional and sexual abuse, from Dutch national samples for children aged 3 ¾ , 5-6 and 8-12 years, for 1997/98 and 2002/03 (response rates... Mehr ...