Development of a Risk Assessment Form and Clinical Forensic Medical Approach to Injuries Found in Abused Children

Research Project

Project/Area Number	14570389
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	Legal medicine
Research Institution	Kumamoto University
Principal Investigator	TSUNENARI Shigeyuki Kumamoto University, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Professor, 大学院・医学薬学研究部, 教授 (80040202)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	YONEMITSU Kosei Kumamoto University, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor, 大学院・医学薬学研究部, 講師 (10128332)
Project Period (FY)	2002 – 2003
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2003)
Budget Amount *help	¥2,700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,700,000) Fiscal Year 2003: ¥800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000) Fiscal Year 2002: ¥1,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,900,000)
Keywords	child abuse and neglect / risk assessment form / workshop / model case / clinical forensic medicine / injuries / regional network / early recognition / 虐待防止 / リスクアセスメント / 損傷検査 / アンケート調査 / 虐待アセスメント票 / 虐待損傷 / 虐待早期発見
Research Abstract	1.Development of a Risk Assessment Form for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect We have developed a risk assessment form (RA Form) for prevention of child abuse and neglect on the bases of data obtained by workshops on child abuse and neglect. Any personnel or organizations not only specialists but also non-specialists such as schoolteachers, welfare commissioners can use the form for child protection. Using the unified RA Form in the child protection network, it was possible that information is transferred smoothly, and the consciousness to child abuse and neglect is improved. Aiming at this RA Form serving as a common risk assessment index, the further improvement and positive education activities will be desired. 2.Opinion poll on the recognition of child abuse and neglect among hospital personnel Questionnaires on child abuse and neglect were sent to hospital personnel of randomly selected 134 hospitals in Kumamoto City and 40 institutions (29.8 %) gave replies. Of these, 30% of the hospitals experienced child abuse and neglect cases, which indicated that the real number of child abuse cases were much greater than that reported by authorities. As for child abuse protection manual issued by Japan Medical Association, only 16.5% of the institute knew and recognized it. 3.Clinical Forensic Medical Approach to Injuries Found in Abused Children We have examined thirteen abused children, who were temporally separated from their family. All case histories and their injuries were recorded and a database is now on construction. Clinical forensic investigation of cases will be essential for the protection of child abuse and neglect.