Evaluation of an Abusive Head Trauma Prevention Program

University Of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore MD

Investigators

Abstract

Long-term Objective: To prevent abusive head trauma (AHT) in young children Specific Aims: 1) To determine theeffectiveness of a hospital based program to reduce the incidence of AHT in young children. 2) To examine the extent to which maternal risk factors affect the risk for AHT. Background: Child abuse is the leading cause of serious head injury in infants and toddlers, and the primary cause of infant death from injury. The incidence of AHT in infants is more than 30 per 100,000. Approximately 25% of victims die from their injuries, and the majority of survivors develop significant long-term sequelae. Few programs aimed at the prevention of AHT have been developed, and none have been rigorously evaluated. Research Design and Methods: An AHT prevention program is currently underway at one Baltimore area hospital. The program educates post-partum parents about AHT and offers recommendations for managing both their infants' crying and their own possible frustration. The effectiveness of this hospital-based AHT 3revention program will be systematically evaluated using a case-control design. Cases will be identified by "nedicalrecords search at the two Baltimore metropolitan area hospitals where AHT cases are referred, as well as records from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Three controls will be selected for each case. Both cases and controls will be matched to birth certificate data to determine birth hospital and maternal demographics. Rates of exposure to the intervention program among cases and controls will be compared. In addition rates of risk factors including poverty, teenage pregnancy, late prenatal care, low birth weight, and single parenthood among cases and controls will be compared.