Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic On Violence Against Children: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Purpose of Review The goal of this paper was to explore the different ways the COVID-19 pandemic has affected violence against children (VAC). Recent Findings Recent research of peer-reviewed articles using operational or survey data revealed the pandemic’s impact in terms of institutional responses, risk and mediating factors, changes in VAC dynamics, and a likely increase in child marriage. Summary Findings include a decrease in institutional responses, activities, and prevention case openings; an increased incidence of interparental intimate partner violence (IPV) witnessing cases, hospital admissions for suspected Abusive Head Trauma (AHT), other pediatric injuries, and sexual violence; a change in family conflict dynamics; and an estimated increase in child marriages. It also revealed mediating factors between the relationship of the pandemic and VAC (such as parental stress and mental health symptoms), as well as risk factors observed by service providers, which include the risk of mental health symptoms of both parents and children. Post-pandemic VAC research can be improved by utilizing operational or survey data in a meaningful way to be able to derive sound intervention approaches to diminish the pandemic’s impact on VAC and child marriage. We also propose for researchers to integrate child marriage into the definition of VAC.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the dynamic of patients with oral and maxillofacial trauma: interrupted time-series analysis

“…To summarize the three major findings of this study, behavioral restrictions in society may change the lifestyle of individuals, thereby altering the profile of oral and maxillofacial trauma. This result is consistent with that of other reports related to oral and maxillofacial injuries and traumas 31 , 32 . On the other hand, the fact that the dynamics of the number of oral and maxillofacial trauma cases, including both minor and severe, advanced trauma cases, did not change indicates that oral and maxillofacial surgeons need to maintain the regular healthcare system, even in the event of an acute infectious disease pandemic, because patient needs in oral and maxillofacial trauma care might not change.…”