The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #69800

Stephen Wirtz, PhD and Erin Griffin, MA. Epidemiology and Prevention for Injury Control, California Department of Health Services, 611 North 7th Street, Suite C, Sacramento, CA 95814-0208, 916-445-8803, swirtz@dhs.ca.gov

Problem: Child abuse and neglect (CAN) is a serious societal problem, with death as the most extreme consequence. However, there are major limitations with the existing data sources for CAN surveillance. For a decade, we have worked in California to identify the nature and magnitude of the discrepancies among these sources and to develop a CAN surveillance system based in part upon information gathered from county Child Death Review Teams (CDRTs). Based upon yearly “Reconciliation Audits” conducted by local CDRTs, the total calculated number of CAN fatalities in California has gone down from 152 in 1996 to 116 in 2000. Methods: We intent to apply capture-recapture methods to the ascertainment of child maltreatment fatalities from multiple data sources over a five year period 1996-2000. In California there are five statewide data sources for fatal child maltreatment. They are: 1) Department of Social Services’ Child Welfare Services/Case Management System; 2) Department of Justice’s Child Abuse Central Index; 3) Department of Health Services’ Vital Statistics; 4) Department of Justice’s Homicide Files; and 5) county CDRTs. Results: The summary of our past investigations will set the stage for the application of capture–recapture methodology. Results of the capture-recapture analyses will be presented and compared with our previously reported results. Conclusions: Implications of capture-recapture methodology for integrating multiple data sources for fatal CAN surveillance will be discussed. Lessons learned on interagency data sharing and linkage, uniform definitions, legal constraints, and practical data management issues will also be presented.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the presentation, the participants will be able to:
• Describe the structure and functioning of the California Fatal Child Abuse and Neglect Surveillance System;
• Describe how a Capture-Recapture methodology was used to ascertain fatal child maltreatment from multiple data sources and how it compares with other approaches; and
• Report the best estimate numbers of fatal CAN for California.

Keywords: Data/Surveillance, Homicide

Related Web page: www.dhs.ca.gov/epicenter

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.