"Too many children, especially children less than 3 years of age, suffer serious injuries due to child abuse and are admitted to the hospital for the care of these injuries," said John Leventhal, an author of the report and a child abuse specialist at Yale-New Haven Hospital.

The findings bolster anecdotal evidence and an earlier study on abuse that suggest the economic downturn and increased financial strain in families can lead to abuse. The earlier report, published in Pediatrics in September, found that abusive head trauma increased in areas where unemployment spiked.

The study released this week found that poverty is a major risk factor in severe abuse. Children covered by Medicaid had rates of serious abuse about six times as high as those not on Medicaid.

Leventhal said that authors hope the new data will be a step toward designing better abuse prevention strategies.

WASHINGTON POST

Article source: http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/wellness/139062349.html