Was child abuse underdetected during the COVID-19 lockdown?

Caron, F; Plancq, Marie-Christine; Tourneux, P.; Gouron, Richard; Klein, Christine

doi:10.1016/j.arcped.2020.07.010

Cited by 49 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Such findings could have been influenced by differing windows of measurement for the outcomes and exposure (history in past month for verbal abuse or corporal punishment, and history in past two weeks for stress). In multiple settings, reports of child abuse decreased after lockdown implementation (Barboza et al, 2020; Caron et al, 2020; Martins-Filho et al, 2020; Rapoport et al, 2020) possibly due to school closure and consequent lack of reporting by school staff (Barboza et al, 2020; Caron et al, 2020; Fore & Cappa, 2020; Jacob, 2020; Rapoport et al, 2020; Thomas et al, 2020), despite worsening family dynamics(Tener et al, 2020) and drastic increase in contact with helplines(Petrowski et al, 2020). In our study, social desirability as well as the respondents’ own perception of whether stress was the attributing factor for the act of verbal abuse or corporal punishment could have led to under-reporting of the outcomes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pandemic control (“lockdown”) measures commonly include school closure. As school staff commonly serve as screeners and reporters of child abuse and neglect, the occurrence of child abuses during lockdown is likely to be under-reported (Barboza et al, 2020; Caron et al, 2020). In the household, children can suffer verbal and physical abuses at the hands of their caregivers (Babvey et al, 2020; Barboza et al, 2020; Brown et al, 2020; Kovler et al, 2020; Lawson et al, 2020; Tener et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Associations between Stress and Child Verbal Abuse and Corporal Punishment during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Potential Effect Modification by Lockdown Measures

Jeharsae

Jae-noh

Jae-a-lee

et al. 2021

Preprint

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BackgroundChild abuse appears to be on the increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the extent that lockdown measures modified the association between stress and abuses has not been systematically assessed.ObjectivesTo assess: 1) the association between caregiver’s stress and self-reported verbal abuse and corporal punishment of a child in the household, and; 2) modification of the stated association by experienced COVID-19 lockdown measures.Participants and settingsCaregivers residing in villages on lockdown in the Deep South of Thailand (n=466 participants)MethodsWe randomly sampled 12 villages in the study area, and 40 households per village. Trained enumerators who were residents of the sampled villages collected the data using phone-based interview. We measured stress level using the standard ST-5 questionnaire. We developed and pilot-tested questions for measurement of child abuse and lockdown experiences specifically for this study.ResultsCaregivers with moderate and higher levels of stress were more likely than caregivers with low level of stress to report verbal abuse (48% vs. 23%, respectively; Adj. OR = 3.12, 95% CI = 1.89, 5.15) and corporal punishment (28% vs. 8%, respectively; Adj. OR = 2.76, 95% CI = 1.41, 5.42). We found that COVID-19 lockdown experiences modified the associations between stress and verbal abuse and corporal punishment.ConclusionThere were associations between stress and abuses, which were modified by lockdown experiences. However, social desirability, lack of details in the answers, and potential confounding by mental illness co-morbidities were notable limitations of the study. Caveat is advised in the interpretation of the study findings.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations between Stress and Child Verbal Abuse and Corporal Punishment during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Potential Effect Modification by Lockdown Measures

Jeharsae

Jae-noh

Jae-a-lee

et al. 2021

Preprint

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“…Similar rates are reported in Europe by the ECDPC 18 . However, one year after the onset of the pandemic, although the infection and mortality rate caused by COVID-19 in children is contained, a large number of subjects <18 years old need medical assistance due to pandemic related mental disorders and many of them report serious death wishes 19 20 21 . Based on increasing epidemiological data on mental distress casued by COVID-19, early in 2020 the UK Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) raised concern about the negative effects of the pandemic on the mental and social health of children.…”

Section: Indirect Impact Of Covid-19 On Children’s Mental and Emotionmentioning

confidence: 99%

French Pediatric Societies Call for School to Stay Open amid the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic

Guen

Hentgen

Dubos

et al. 2021

The Journal of Pediatrics

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“…[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] Many authors expressed concern about children who may be 'lost' to secondary services during lockdowns, particularly those with concerning or signi cant disease. [4,5,10,[14][15][16] Although children are deemed to be relatively unaffected by primary SARS-CoV-2 infection, [17] pandemic measures/messaging are altering patterns of paediatric disease presentation. Few studies suggest an internationally comparable way to continuously report on patients not attending for hospital care.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using ICD-10 Diagnostic Codes to Identify ‘Missing’ Paediatric Patients During Nationwide COVID-19 Lockdown in Oxfordshire, UK

Charlesworth

Bold

Pal

2021

Preprint

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Objective: To identify diagnoses which were ‘missing’ amongst paediatric inpatients during the UK’s first national lockdown, compared with the same period over the past five years.Study design: A retrospective observational cohort study of all children (0-15 years) attending for urgent care across Oxfordshire, during the first UK lockdown in 2020, compared to matched dates in 2015-2019. This covers two paediatric hospitals providing secondary care, one with tertiary services. Main outcomes: Changes in numbers of patients attending and inpatient diagnoses (using ICD-10 classification) during the first 2020 lockdown, compared with the previous five years.Results: Total ED attendances (n=4030) and hospital admissions (n=1416) during the first UK lockdown were reduced by 56.8% and 59.4%, respectively, compared to attendances/admissions in 2015-2019 (5-year mean n=7446.8 and n=2491.6, respectively). Proportions of patients admitted from ED and length of stay were similar in lockdown to 2015-2019. Significantly greater numbers of neoplasms were diagnosed during lockdown than the same period in 2015-2019 (p= 0.0123). 80% of diagnoses ‘missing’ during lockdown were categorised as infectious diseases or their sequelae, whilst 20% were non-specific pains/aches/malaise and accidental injury/poisonings. Conclusions: Using standardised ICD-10 codes as a measure of diagnostic activity between years; ‘missing’ diagnoses can be identified. Our findings may suggest parents are supervising infectious illness at home or had anxieties about hospital attendance, with self-limited low-morbidity disease. Prospective studies should establish if parents/carers are adequately supported in caring for their children at home, and that access and referral pathways are appropriate where children have concerning clinical features.

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Was child abuse underdetected during the COVID-19 lockdown?

Cited by 49 publications

References 4 publications

Associations between Stress and Child Verbal Abuse and Corporal Punishment during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Potential Effect Modification by Lockdown Measures

Associations between Stress and Child Verbal Abuse and Corporal Punishment during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Potential Effect Modification by Lockdown Measures

French Pediatric Societies Call for School to Stay Open amid the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic

Using ICD-10 Diagnostic Codes to Identify ‘Missing’ Paediatric Patients During Nationwide COVID-19 Lockdown in Oxfordshire, UK

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