Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on child abuse and neglect: A cross-sectional study in a French Child Advocacy Center.
Child Abuse Negl
; 130(Pt 1): 105443, 2022 08.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34952733
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
This study aimed to describe the impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown in France on the activity of a Child Advocacy Center.METHODS:
This cross-sectional, observational study included all children involved in the activity of the CAC during the first lockdown, from March 16 to May 10, 2020 and the next 3 months and the corresponding periods in 2018 and 2019. Cases were considered severe when a hospitalization, social alert and/or judicial report to the prosecutor was decided.RESULTS:
Data for 1583 children were analyzed. During the lockdown, the global center activity decreased with 26.4 consultations per 100.000 children in 2018, 46 in 2019 and 20.7 in 2020 (p < 0.001). Judicial activity decreased (forensic examinations and child forensic interview recordings), whereas assessment consultations increased. Cases were more severe during the lockdown than in 2019 and 2018 (12.3, 9.4 and 6.04/100.000 children, respectively, p < 0.0001). The global activity of the center increased in the 3 months after the lockdown as compared with during the lockdown (38.2/100.000 versus 20.7/100.000, respectively, p < 0.001) but did not differ from activity in 2018 and 2019. Severe cases were more frequent in the 3 months after the lockdown than the previous years (13.7/100.000 in 2020, 9.62 in 2019 and 8.17 in 2018, p = 0.0002).CONCLUSION:
The CAC activity decreased during the lockdown in France but the increase in incidence of severe abuse cases during the lockdown and the next 3 months confirm the need for optimal screening, care and support of child abuse and neglect victims even in the context of health crisis.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Maltrato a los Niños
/
COVID-19
Tipo de estudio:
Observational_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Child
/
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Child Abuse Negl
Año:
2022
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Francia