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More than 10% of US children maltreated by age 18 years

Confirmed cases of maltreatment are reported in one of eight American children before aged 18 years, according to recent study findings published in JAMA Pediatrics.

Christopher Wildeman, PhD, associate professor of sociology at Yale University, and colleagues evaluated 5,689,900 children from 2004 to 2011 with a confirmed report of maltreatment to determine rates of maltreatment by age 18 years.

Christopher Wildeman

Overall, 0.9% of all participants had a confirmed report of maltreatment in 2011. Black children had the highest percentage of maltreatment in 2011 (1.5%), followed by Native Americans (1.1%), Hispanics (0.9%), whites (0.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.2%). Girls had significantly higher confirmed rates of maltreatment confirmed than boys. Rates of maltreatment were higher in the Northeast (1%) and South (1%) compared with the Midwest (0.9%) and West (0.8%).

In 2011, the cumulative prevalence of maltreatment was 12.5% (95% CI, 12.5-12.6) for all American children. Researchers found that about one in eight US children were maltreated by age 18 years, leading to 13.9 times as many children as experienced confirmed maltreatment annually.

The highest risk for maltreatment was among black children (20.9%; 95% CI, 20.8-21.1), followed by Native American children (14.5%; 95% CI, 14.2-14.9), Hispanic children (13%; 95% CI, 12.9-13.1), white children (10.7%; 95% CI, 10.6-10.8), and Asian/Pacific Islander children (3.8%; 95% CI, 3.7-3.9).

Girls had a higher rate of confirmed prevalence of maltreatment (13%) compared with boys (12.1%). The highest prevalence was among black girls (21.6%).

The first year of life had the highest confirmed rates of maltreatment, at 2.1% of children. This was highest among black children (4%) before their first birthday.

“The results from this analysis — which provides cumulative rather than annual estimates — indicate that confirmed child maltreatment is common, on the scale of other major public health concerns that affect child health and well-being,” the researchers wrote. “Moreover, child maltreatment is unequally distributed by race/ethnicity, with many more black, Native American, and Hispanic children experiencing a confirmed report of maltreatment at some point than white or, especially, Asian/Pacific Islander children.”

Researchers add that the results provide valuable epidemiological information.

“Being able to assess the extent and severity of maltreatment across populations and time accurately can inform policies and practices that can be used not only to reduce maltreatment but also to improve population health and reduce health disparities,” the researchers wrote.

Christopher Wildeman, PhD, can be reached at Christopher.wildeman@yale.edu.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.