Infant Abusive Head Trauma in A Military Cohort
Date
2013
Journal Title
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Volume Title
Publisher
Pediatrics
Abstract
The objective was to evaluate the rate of, and risk factors for, abusive head
trauma (AHT) among infants born to military families and compare
with civilian population rates.
METHODS: Electronic International Classification of Diseases data
from the US Department of Defense (DoD) Birth and Infant Health
Registry were used to identify infants born to military families from
1998 through 2005 (N = 676 827) who met the study definition for AHT.
DoD Family Advocacy Program data were used to identify infants with
substantiated reports of abuse. Rates within the military were compared with civilian population rates by applying an alternate AHT case
definition used in a civilian study.
RESULTS: Applying the study definition, the estimated rate of substantiated military AHTwas 34.0 cases in the first year of life per 100 000 live
births. Using the alternate case definition, the estimated AHT rate was
25.6 cases per 100 000 live births. Infant risk factors for AHT included
male sex, premature birth, and a diagnosed major birth defect. Parental risk factors included young maternal age (,21 years), lower
sponsor rank or pay grade, and current maternal military service.
CONCLUSIONS: This is the first large database study of AHT with the
ability to link investigative results to cases. Overall rates of AHT were
consistent with civilian populations when using the same case definition codes. Infants most at risk, warranting special attention from military family support programs, include infants with parents in lower
military pay grades, infants with military mothers, and infants born
premature or with birth defects.
Description
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Article
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Keywords
risk factors, military families, child abuse, head trauma, infant, statistics
Citation
Gumbs, G. R., Keenan, H. T., Sevick, C. J., Conlin, A. M. S., Lloyd, D. W., Runyan, D. K., ... & Smith, T. C. (2013). Infant abusive head trauma in a military cohort. Pediatrics, 132(4), 668-676.