CHICAGO – An increase in child abuse, mostly in infants, is linked with the recent recession in new research that raises fresh concerns about the impact of the nation’s economic woes.
The results are in a study of 422 abused children from mostly lower-income families, and the research involved 74 counties in four states. But lead author Dr. Rachel Berger of Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh said that the results confirm anecdotal reports from many pediatricians who’ve seen increasing numbers of shaken-baby cases and other forms of brain-injuring abuse.
Berger decided to study this type of injury, known as abusive head trauma, after noticing an increase at her own hospital from late 2007 through June 2009. Her hospital averaged 30 cases per year during recession years versus 17 yearly before 2007.
Though this abuse is still uncommon, the number of cases in the counties studied increased sharply, rising from about 9 cases per 100,000 children in pre-recession years, to almost 15 per 100,000 kids during the recession – a 65 percent increase.
Children studied were younger than 5, and most were infants. Most suffered brain damage and 69 died, though the death rate didn’t rise during the recession.
Combine the stress of raising a young child with wage cuts or lost jobs and you get “a sort of toxic brew in terms of thinking about possible physical violence,” said Mark Rank, a social welfare professor at Washington University in St. Louis.
The study shows that “as poverty goes up and economic stagnation continues … there are really human costs involved,” Rank said.
Unemployment rates in the 74 counties rose during the five-year study. They included Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania; central and southern Ohio; and a handful of counties in northern Kentucky and in the Seattle area.
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.