To estimate the health and economic burdens of child maltreatment in China.
We did a systematic review for studies on child maltreatment in China using PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo, CINAHL-EBSCO, ERIC ...and the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure databases. We did meta-analyses of studies that met inclusion criteria to estimate the prevalence of child neglect and child physical, emotional and sexual abuse. We used data from the 2010 global burden of disease estimates to calculate disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) lost as a result of child maltreatment.
From 68 studies we estimated that 26.6% of children under 18 years of age have suffered physical abuse, 19.6% emotional abuse, 8.7% sexual abuse and 26.0% neglect. We estimate that emotional abuse in childhood accounts for 26.3% of the DALYs lost because of mental disorders and 18.0% of those lost because of self-harm. Physical abuse in childhood accounts for 12.2% of DALYs lost because of depression, 17.0% of those lost to anxiety, 20.7% of those lost to problem drinking, 18.8% of those lost to illicit drug use and 18.3% of those lost to self-harm. The consequences of physical abuse of children costs China an estimated 0.84% of its gross domestic product - i.e. 50 billion United States dollars - in 2010. The corresponding losses attributable to emotional and sexual abuse in childhood were 0.47% and 0.39% of the gross domestic product, respectively.
In China, child maltreatment is common and associated with large economic losses because many maltreated children suffer substantial psychological distress and might adopt behaviours that increase their risk of chronic disease.
Abstract This study estimated the health and economic burden of child maltreatment in the East Asia and Pacific region, addressing a significant gap in the current evidence base. Systematic reviews ...and meta-analyses were conducted to estimate the prevalence of child physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and witnessing parental violence. Population Attributable Fractions were calculated and Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) lost from physical and mental health outcomes and health risk behaviors attributable to child maltreatment were estimated using the most recent comparable Global Burden of Disease data. DALY losses were converted into monetary value by assuming that one DALY is equal to the sub-region's per capita GDP. The estimated economic value of DALYs lost to violence against children as a percentage of GDP ranged from 1.24% to 3.46% across sub-regions defined by the World Health Organization. The estimated economic value of DALYs (in constant 2000 US$) lost to child maltreatment in the EAP region totaled US $151 billion, accounting for 1.88% of the region's GDP. Updated to 2012 dollars, the estimated economic burden totaled US $194 billion. In sensitivity analysis, the aggregate costs as a percentage of GDP range from 1.36% to 2.52%. The economic burden of child maltreatment in the East Asia and Pacific region is substantial, indicating the importance of preventing and responding to child maltreatment in this region. More comprehensive research into the impact of multiple types of childhood adversity on a wider range of putative health outcomes is needed to guide policy and programs for child protection in the region, and globally.
The purpose of this study was to estimate the economic burden of violence against children in South Africa. We assembled summative estimates of lifetime prevalence, calculated the magnitude of ...associations with negative outcomes, and thereby estimated the economic burden of violence against children. According to our calculations, 2.3 million and 84,287 disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) lost in South Africa in 2015 were attributable to nonfatal and fatal violence against children, respectively. The estimated economic value of DALYs lost to violence against children (including both fatal and nonfatal) in South Africa in 2015 totalled ZAR173 billion (US $13.5 billion)-or 4.3% of South Africa's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2015. In addition, the reduced earnings attributable to childhood physical violence and emotional violence in South Africa in 2015 were ZAR25.2 billion (US $2.0 billion) and ZAR9.6 billion (US $750 million), respectively. In addition, South Africa spent ZAR1.6 billion (US $124 million) on child care and protection in fiscal year 2015/2016, many of which costs are directly related to violence against children. This study confirms the importance of prioritising violence against children as a key social and economic concern for South Africa's future.
The number of children with mental health problems has more than doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the effect of long Covid on children's mental health is still debatable. Recognising ...long Covid as a risk factor for mental health problems in children will increase awareness and screening for mental health problems following COVID-19 infection, resulting in earlier intervention and lower morbidity. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the proportion of mental health problems post-COVID-19 infection in children and adolescents, and to compare them with the population with no previous COVID-19 infection.
A systematic search was done in seven databases using pre-defined search terms. Cross-sectional, cohort and interventional studies reporting the proportion of mental health problems among children with long COVID in the English language from 2019 to May 2022 were included. Selection of papers, extraction of data and quality assessment were done independently by two reviewers. Studies with satisfactory quality were included in meta-analysis using R and Revman software programmes.
The initial search retrieved 1848 studies. After screening, 13 studies were included in the quality assessments. Meta-analysis showed children who had previous COVID-19 infection had more than two times higher odds of having anxiety or depression, and 14% higher odds of having appetite problems, compared to children with no previous infection. The pooled prevalence of mental health problems among the population were as follows; anxiety: 9%(95% CI:1, 23), depression: 15%(95% CI:0.4, 47), concentration problems: 6%(95% CI: 3, 11), sleep problems: 9%(95% CI:5, 13), mood swings: 13% (95%CI:5, 23) and appetite loss: 5%(95% CI:1, 13). However, studies were heterogenous and lack data from low- and middle-income countries.
Anxiety, depression and appetite problems were significantly increased among post-COVID-19 infected children, compared to those without a previous infection, which may be attributed to long COVID. The findings underscore the importance of screening and early intervention of children post-COVID-19 infection at one month and between three to four months.
This is the first study in South Africa to investigate the association of violence against children with human capital development, including short- and long-term health and educational outcomes. ...Hypotheses were tested by applying logistic regressions, zero inflated poisson regressions, linear regressions and ordered logistic regressions with a large and representative sample of adolescents from the Cape Area Panel Study (CAPS). Household fixed effects model and treatment-effects model were performed to check the robustness of the results. Analyses indicate that 58% of adolescents in South Africa have experienced physical or emotional violence in childhood. All forms of violence, especially physical violence, are associated with adverse physical and mental health, poorer academic achievement and lower education level of the victims in both the short and long term. Adolescent males who have experienced violence in childhood are more likely to report poorer educational outcomes and long-term physical health, while female victims are at higher risk of mental illness. The findings provide support for the negative effects of violence against children on health and educational outcomes, which lead to increasing inequalities that impact on the future development of South Africa. Urgent violence against children prevention programming is needed alongside health and educational initiatives in the country.
In 2015, Clostridium difficile testing rates among 30 US community, multispecialty, and cancer hospitals were 14.0, 16.3, and 33.9/1,000 patient-days, respectively. Pooled hospital onset rates were ...0.56, 0.84, and 1.57/1,000 patient-days, respectively. Higher testing rates may artificially inflate reported rates of C. difficile infection. C. difficile surveillance should consider testing frequency.
Johnson’s intimate partner violence (IPV) typology—categorizing IPV by both use and receipt of physical violence and controlling behaviors—effectively predicts IPV consequences among adults. His ...typology has not yet been applied to adolescents, an important population for early IPV intervention. Therefore, in analyzing IPV covariates among 493 female urban high school students, we used as key predictors both Johnson’s original typology and, for enhanced clarity, a relationship-level extension. Preliminary evidence suggests that the pattern of adolescent IPV differs substantially from that of adult IPV and that a relationship-level typology provided additional clarity in categorizing this pattern.
Online child sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA) is a rising global problem affecting children and adolescents worldwide. Despite the escalating prevalence of OCSEA, there is limited research ...specifically focusing on children and adolescents with disabilities. To bridge this gap, this systematic review was conducted to identify the prevalence, nature and associated risk factors of OCSEA of children and adolescents with disabilities. Following the PRISMA Statement, this systematic review included scientific evidence from 12 academic databases and the gray literature published between 1993 and 2023. A total of 13 studies were extracted, and thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the data. The findings of this systematic review reveal the characteristics such as the gender, age and type of disabilities of OCSEA victims. Perpetrators use diverse techniques, including online grooming, manipulation, and cyber-threats, resulting in consequences such as mental health issues and social isolation of victims. The associated risk factors include lack of parental monitoring, social isolation, and low risk perception. The results of this research provide crucial insights into OCSEA of children and adolescents with disabilities, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions and further exploration in this understudied area.
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