For my initial research, I plan to use population-based data on all deaths among children in Missouri over an eight-year period to 1) Calculate the incidence of fatal child abuse and fatal neglect (separately) among children less than five years old. 2) Conduct a case control study to evaluate the association between household composition and fatal physical abuse and fatal neglect, separately. 3) Refine a classification scheme for childhood injury deaths based on the behavioral and environmental circumstances of the death. Then, I will apply the classification to all the childhood deaths, conduct a descriptive analysis of the deaths, and compare the assigned classification to the cause of death listed on the death certificate. The data for this research are existing data that will be obtained from the Missouri Child Fatality Review Panel (CRRP) program, vital records, and the Department of Family Services. The CFRP data include detailed information on every child death in Missouri including information on household members and their relationship to the decedent at the time of death, and each injury death includes details on the circumstances of injury. These unique data provides the opportunity to study individual and family risk factors for fatal child abuse and neglect while controlling for confounding factors and minimizing the potential for misclassification and underreporting that plague studies based on vital records or samples of abused children from child welfare agencies. The use of all eight years of available data will ensure that there are sufficient numbers for evaluation of fatal physical abuse and fatal neglect, separately, as well as evaluation of interaction effects. With these strengths, this research will provide new insights into the relationship between household composition and fatal child abuse and neglect, and provide a foundation for future research on the antecedents if child abuse and neglect.
| Schnitzer, Patricia G; Ewigman, Bernard G (2008) Household composition and fatal unintentional injuries related to child maltreatment. J Nurs Scholarsh 40:91-7 |
| Schnitzer, Patricia G; Ewigman, Bernard G (2005) Child injury deaths: comparing prevention information from two coding systems. J Pediatr Psychol 30:413-23 |
| Schnitzer, Patricia G; Ewigman, Bernard G (2005) Child deaths resulting from inflicted injuries: household risk factors and perpetrator characteristics. Pediatrics 116:e687-93 |
| Webster, Romi A; Schnitzer, Patricia G; Jenny, Carole et al. (2003) Child death review. The state of the nation. Am J Prev Med 25:58-64 |
