A regional multidisciplinary network enhances child abuse case management

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Medicine
• Child Abuse Forensics
• Public Health Networks

Background:

• Previous reports indicated inadequate response to intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in infants under 24 months in Yokohama (2011-2013).
• The establishment of a regional multidisciplinary network for child abuse was investigated for its impact on ICH case response in medical institutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of a regional multidisciplinary child abuse network on the response to intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) cases in infants.
• To compare ICH case management before and after the network's implementation.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire survey was conducted on ICH cases under 24 months (2014-2016) after network establishment.
• Patient characteristics, injury detection examinations, and child protection service (CPS) reports were analyzed.
• Results were compared to a previous study (2011-2013) representing the pre-network period.

Main Results:

• Fifty ICH cases were identified over three years.
• Post-network establishment, significant increases in covert fracture and fundus hemorrhage detection were observed (P=0.0001, P=0.0182).
• Reporting of suspected child abuse to hospital child protection teams (CPTs) and regional CPSs significantly increased post-network implementation (P=0.0062, P=0.0215).

Conclusions:

• A regional multidisciplinary network enhances the response and cooperation for addressing child abuse cases.
• The network improves understanding of child abuse care and raises awareness among hospital personnel.