Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 25, 2026
An Experimental Analysis of Children's Ability to Provide a False Report about a Crime
Published on: May 3, 2016
The incidence of infant physical abuse in Alaska
Bradford D Gessner1, Martha Moore, Bernita Hamilton
1Alaska Division of Public Health, Section of Maternal, Child, and Family Health, Anchorage, AK 99524-0249, USA.
Insights
Alaska has a high incidence of infant physical abuse, with risk factors including lower parental education and substance use. Under-reporting of severe cases is a significant concern.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Criminology
Background:
- Infant physical abuse poses a significant public health challenge.
- Understanding incidence and risk factors is crucial for prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of infant physical abuse in Alaska.
- To identify associated risk factors for infant physical abuse.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective cohort study linked birth certificates, Child Protective Services data, trauma registries, and mortality reviews.
- Defined cases as substantiated abuse or infant death due to homicide.
- Analyzed data from 70,842 births between 1994-2000.
Main Results:
- The incidence of infant physical abuse was 4.6 per 1000 live births.
- Abuse leading to hospitalization or death occurred at 1.0 per 1000 live births.
- Key risk factors included maternal education ≤12 years, unmarried mothers, and prenatal substance use.
Conclusions:
- Alaska exhibits one of the highest documented infant physical abuse rates.
- Modifiable social factors are strongly associated with abuse.
- Significant under-reporting of hospitalized abuse cases is likely.
Objectives:
To determine the incidence of and risk factors associated with infant (< 1 year of age) physical abuse in Alaska.
Methods:
A population-based retrospective cohort study for the 1994-2000 resident birth cohort was conducted by linking data from birth certificates, Child Protective Services, a statewide hospital-based trauma registry, hospital discharge data, and the Alaska Infant Mortality Review (including death certificates). The main outcome measures were the incidences of overall physical abuse and abuse resulting in hospitalization or death. A case of child abuse was defined as an instance of substantiated physical abuse to an infant identified in the Child Protective Services database or an infant death with homicide identified on the death certificate as the manner of death.
Results:
During the 7-year study period, there were 70,842 births and 325 cases of physical abuse including 72 that led to hospitalization (n = 58), death (n = 4), or both (n = 10); respective incidences for all abuse and abuse leading to hospitalization or death were 4.6 and 1.0 per 1000 live births. Following multivariate analyses, the risk factors with the highest population attributable risks were maternal or paternal education < or = 12 years, unmarried mother, and maternal prenatal substance use. To determine if the study methodology was likely to have missed cases of severe abuse, we examined information for all 216 infants hospitalized for trauma during the study period who did not have identification of abuse in one of the study databases; of these, at least 39 had injuries inconsistent with the reported mechanism (a long bone or skull fracture that reportedly resulted from a fall of less than 3 feet or from a caretaker's arms or for which the caretaker denied a history of trauma).
Conclusions:
Alaska has one of the highest documented infant physical abuse incidences reported in the literature and abuse is associated with potentially modifiable-primarily social-risk factors. Despite this high incidence, substantial under-reporting of hospitalized cases likely occurs.
