A combination of factors contributes to the risk of child abuse and neglect that may result in death. The following resources present research on risk factors for child abuse and neglect and include environmental and individual factors.
Child Maltreatment 2018
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau
Includes national data about instances of child abuse and neglect known to State child protective services agencies.
Community Poverty and Child Abuse Fatalities in the United States
Farrell, Fleegler, Monuteaux, Wilson, Christian, & Lee (2017)
Pediatrics, 139(5)
Evaluates the association between concentration of poverty and rates of child maltreatment fatalities. Results showed that areas with the highest poverty concentration had more than three times the rate of child abuse and neglect fatalities.
Do Prior Maltreatment Reports Serve as a Risk Factor For Child Fatalities?
Casey Family Programs (2020)
Presents the results of a study that examined whether there is a correlation between prior maltreatment reports and child death from maltreatment. The findings showed that a prior allegation of maltreatment to child protective services was the strongest risk factor for child abuse and neglect fatality before age 5.
Furniture Stability: A Review of Data and Testing Results (PDF - 858 KB)
Kids in Danger and Shane's Foundation (2016)
Details a performance test of dressers and chests in order to establish furniture safety recommendations for manufacturers and parents.
Guidance for Reviewing Deaths of Infants/Children With Disabilities and/or Special Health Care Needs (PDF - 1,150 KB)
National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention (2017)
Discusses the types of disabilities or special health care needs related to the child; the
circumstances related to the provision of services and treatment for the condition to
the child and family; the risk factors related to maltreatment and neglect; and/or the
circumstances of unintentional injuries.
Kids and Cars
KidsandCars.org
Provides research on the emerging prevalence and prevention of motor vehicle fatalities, which is greatly underestimated. This resource documents car-related child fatalities, such as children left unattended, power-window strangulations, and low-speed high-severity crush injuries, in order to increase public awareness and create Federal policy change.
Risk and Protective Factors
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Describes individual and communities factors associated with child abuse and neglect.
Safe to Sleep
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Collaborates with organizations to increase awareness on safe sleep and provide research-based outreach and information materials.
Ten Leading Causes of Death and Injury
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Analyzes leading causes of death in the context of age groups using data from the Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System