An abused adult may feel trapped and impotent. Often, abused adults lack the emotional resources or social supports necessary to provide the parenting their children need. If they use drugs or alcohol, or have other maladaptive behaviors, this can further erode their ability to give support and guidance to children in the home. AMA Facts about Family Violence Child abuse occurs in all types of families, in all socioeconomic settings, and to children of all ages. Risk factors for abuse include marital problems, substance abuse, unemployment, and financial burdens.
Domestic violence is a leading indicator that child abuse is happening in the home.
In 1997l, 3.1 million cases of child abuse were reported, and 1,215 children died of abuse. Role of the health care provider Physicians in a wide range of specialties are recognizing that domestic violence is a serious public health problem. Many professional medical organizations, including the AAP, AAFP, and the AMA, have developed policy statements that deal with the medical identification of and response to domestic violence. Domestic violence is recognized as an issue with significant medical consequences, including death. As a health care provider, you can take several steps to address the problem of domestic violence in your own practice.