| Durant,
R.H., Enand, C., Herman-Giddens, M., Petree, A.R., Rogers, M.K., &
Sinal, S.H. (2000). Is race or ethnicity a predictive factor
in shaken baby syndrome?
Child Abuse Negl, 24,1241-1246. |
| Objective |
To determine
whether race is a predictive factor in shaken baby syndrome when population
and referral patterns are considered. Previous studies have concluded
that shaken baby syndrome occurs more often among Whites than among Blacks. |
| Methods |
Researchers
conducted a retrospective medical record review of closed head injuries
due to child abuse between the time period of January 1992 to July 1997
at three pediatric tertiary care medical centers in North Carolina.
Patients included children ages 0-4 years, identified from medical record
reviews and child abuse databases. From this information, the specific
rates of shaken baby syndrome in Whites versus non-Whites in the referral
area were computed. |
| Results |
The difference
in the rate of shaken baby syndrome from the referral area was not statistically
significant among Whites versus non-Whites. Most perpetrators were
male (68%), and most victims (76%) lived with their mothers and biologic
father or mother's boyfriend. |
| Conclusion |
Race was
not a significant factor in predicting shaken baby syndrome in the referral
area studied, making it an ineffective factor in targeting groups for intervention. |
