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Subscribe to RSSSmall children may be suffering the effects of the home foreclosure crisis in a serious way, researchers reported on Monday. They found a troubling increase in the number of young children with physical abuse showing up in hospital emergency rooms.
The researchers found just under a 1 percent increase in the number of general physical abuse cases reported at 38 pediatric hospitals every year between 2000 and 2009 and a more than 3 percent rise in the number of traumatic brain injuries seen in babies.
These increased rates seemed to directly correlate with the rate of mortgage foreclosures in a community, Dr. Joanne Wood of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and colleagues reported in the journal Pediatrics. There might be something uniquely stressful about losing a home that can lead to child abuse, they suggested.
“It’s well known that economic stress has been linked to an increase in child physical abuse, so we wanted to get to the bottom of the contrasting reports by formally studying hospital data on a larger scale,” Wood said in a statement.
They found that each 1 percent increase in mortgage delinquencies correlated with a 3 percent increase in the number of children 6 and under hospitalized every year for suspected physical abuse and a 5 percent increase in admissions due to traumatic brain injury from abuse.
“As the foreclosure crisis is projected to continue in the near future, these results highlight the need to better understand the stress that housing insecurity places on families and communities so that we can better support them during difficult times,” Wood said.
They said their findings need more study to confirm them, especially because they contradict other data showing child abuse rates are down overall nationwide. It might be important to pinpoint communities that are particularly affected and help those parents cope, said Dr. David Rubin, a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia who worked on the study.
“It is a reminder to me that when I see families in my practice who have lost their insurance or who have changed homes, to probe a little further about the challenges they are facing. As communities, we all need to reach out a little more to identify which families may be in crisis and help guide them to appropriate resources for support," Rubin said.
There was no link between suspected child abuse cases and unemployment rates, the researchers found.
“At the local and state levels, child welfare agencies should consider additional methods of tracking child abuse data, including hospital data. These efforts will enable public agencies to better monitor child abuse and neglect and to respond effectively to the needs of children and families,” the researchers advised.
“Pediatricians and other health care providers should be aware about housing insecurity that may be affecting families in their care. Providers can help connect patients and families to appropriate social services, such as cash assistance, food stamps, medical assistance benefits, and foreclosure counseling.”
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And we needed to know this because of..............................? I really hope our tax dollars were not wasted on this study!
Ya no chit, do you suppose they would print this article in Fortune 500, Money magazine,The wall street journal or show it Fox and friends.
Why? To educate ourselves and to educate the general public in order to promote change. The only way to make change is to show the stats. Our tax dollars are wasted, per your term, on many many other areas of 'study' and/or other expenditures, with no general benefit to the citizens.
In a related story, a new study finds that dumbazz, clearly obvious studies attributed to frustrations in those of us who have an I.Q. higher than a plant :)
You may say that you don't need to study the obvious to determine if there is a correlation, yet how can you be SURE there is a correlation if a study is not done ?
That's the thing about SCIENTIFIC studies, they do not make obvious assumptions, they let the data lead to the facts and conclusions. Each of the phd failures on this blog write their conclusions with no facts or data.
One important point to make, while foreclosures are up nationwide, incidents of child abuse are down; yet if there is a direct correlation, there should be a similar rise in child abuse. Since there is not, the study WAS a good thing, to see IF there is any correlation.
Gee People who are stupid about their fiances make stupid parents, who'd of thunk it?....<snark over>
No! our tax money is wasted on their raises, and lining their pockets. Youtube my name and watch Decision 2012, thats it!
another brilliant study a six year old could come to the conclusion of. Yeah, and spousal abuse, divorce, suicide, booze/drug usage, crime committed to try and stave off losing your home,...oh...and a decrease in sex between partners. Does that pretty much wrap up this useless study?
Read the overview - it's not thorough but the emphasis is that the effects of foreclosure correlate with abuse - I'm hoping (and assuming since it was a study) that the other effects were controlled for, or else the data is not statistically significant. That's what was focused on. The other effects are absolutely stressors, but this study focused on one primary issue.
Really? Going through foreclosure makes you beat your children; that's new information. Thanks.
Or... and I'm just throwing it out there, but maybe those who are irresponsible enough to get into a mortgage situation that they clearly could not afford are the same types of people who are prone to things such as child abuse.
I'm sorry this is a stupid study. I punched my kid in the face because of the fat cats on wall street and predatory lending. This is Century 21's fault. ppfffttt... whatevs
No, maybe moving in with extended family endangers children. Especially if those moving in have no where else to go. Houses may not be child-proof, there may be relatives living there who have violent ideas of how to treat children, there may be unreported child molesters. (Read Dear Abby for a month and see how many, "my brother molested me when I was growing up--do I have to go to family reunions and see him again?" letters there are.)
But when one is homeless, options are to stay in the nut house or move in to someplace else.
Well that is a theory. There's also the old "the loan officer touched my bum" theory, the timeless "the repo man copped a feel" hypothesis and the forever cherished "my new landlord installed a fiber optic camera in the vent above my shower" supposition. Who needs correlated statistics when we have Dear Abby?
In a related study, the same researchers discovered that there is a direct correlation between ice cream consumption and deaths by drowning, since both increase in summer and decrease in winter.
"There are lies, damned lies, and statistics." ---Mark Twain
"Statistically speaking, the average American has one testicle and one ovary." ---Denver Bill
Yes. These studies do not even correlate the victims of child abuse being children in homes that are actually being foreclosed; only that these children reside in communities where a large number of homes ARE being foreclosed. Perhaps it has more to do with the overall impact of large numbers of foreclosures on the sense of community than on the fact that the abusive parents are themselves experiencing foreclosure.
You need a study like this because if your representative stands up in congress to fight for a program to alleviate the foreclosure problem in this country and cites increased child abuse as one of the negative side effects of a foreclosure, he needs to be able to back it up. The Republican Party will challenge that conclusion rather than taking his word for it. When people become more reasonable and less combative, we will spend less money covering our a$$es.
Exactly the point. This isn't a valid study or a valid article; this is political fodder with the specific purpose of corroborating liberal talking points. That's why it needs to be called out for what it is. Don't take our homes or we'll beat our kids; it's stupid group think and you would perpetuate it. F that.
I live near Chicago where Democrats run everything and where 40 people were shot in one weekend (twice). Lets just say I don't have any faith in governments ability to "alleviate the problem".
Notice how there is no data to support that child abuse occures with unemployed parents only the ones in foreclosure. Other than leaving President Obama in the clear on this one,how can that be? You loose your job,you loose your house. These sadistic parents only realized that they were in money trouble after the county Sheriff showed up at their door? I'll tell you who these people are not,they are not Conservatives! They would have known they were screwed when they were laid off!
Thank you!! Finally someone posting useful information. Read my previous comment. Longer-term studies are necessary to find stats and to be able to make any change. You are exactly correct. You need the data to show the ramifications in order to try to push for any changes. Period.
How could unemployment not have a correlation with child abuse but foreclosure do? Is the article suggesting that those in foreclosure are employed or are these strategic defaults? Any domestic financial problem would have a correlation with negative unhealthy practices...spouse abuse, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, child abuse, etc. If Obama would unleash the private sector these people would be able to afford their homes and less children would be abused...why does Obama hate children?
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The foreclosure crisis was Bush's baby, a fact most of us remember. Apparently typing the same thing in a mind numbing fashion has allowed you to forget this!
Placing this crisis solely on the shoulders of Bush is foolishly naive; you cannot wish an opinion into a fact. The root of the problems leading up to the crisis began before Bush entered office. I have no love for Bush and he has some responsibility but it's not his baby and insinuating so is useless drivel.
We all know extreme stess can trigger abuse and foreclosure is a cause of extreme stress. Did we need a study to tell us this? Sadly burecratic: Study the problem, statistically measure the problem, publish the problem, more study of the problem, etc, etc.....
Kids who are forced out of their homes and into the homes of extended family or "friends" are different from the ones where mom and/or dad is unemployed, and they still have their own place to live at.
The homes of others subject the children to the environments and personalities there; some can be very toxic, very dangerous, but the parents are terrified to take their kids out to an unknown environment. Grandma keeps rat poison by the kitchen door? Aunt believes in not sparing the rod, or the belt, or the baseball bat. Uncle has a porn collection that he leaves where the kids play? The dog doesn't like little children?
Hey, it's their house: Suck it up or go to the street.
"These increased rates seemed to directly correlate with the rate of mortgage disclosures in a community..."
Rate of mortgage disclosures?
...proofreaders unemployed due to budget cuts...
...yes, of course this is ultimately the fault of those predatory lenders, right? Isn't that what is going to be implied by Reid, Pelosi & their puppet, Obama, on the campaign trail?
Isn't that what their lemmings are going to believe, hook, line & sinker?
The voluntarily uneducated voter is a tool for the DNC.
...but Republican voters who make less than 250k/annually are voting against their own, and 98% of the country's, best interests because theyre just so darn EDUCATED???
Well, it appears that what we have is a disagreement on what constitutes "best interests"; more free stuff is not tantamount to best interests. That's an immature, counter-intuitive view of the world. So yes, I could argue that many right-leaning voters making under $250K per year are well educated and well rounded individuals.
Maybe if some of those liberal Democrat voters would vote against free crap for themselves and actually vote for the best interests of the entire country we wouldn't be in the situation we're in. Not that the Dems did it all by themselves, they had plenty of help from Rinos. I'm with ya JQ.......voting for free stuff might help my pocket in the short term but in the long term it's hell on wheels when nobody has food, a job, or money.
I can't make my mortgage payment....I know...I'll slap my kid around...that will help...Please...the same people would have done it any way.
Did it actually take a STUDY to come to these conclusions ?
"There might be something uniquely stressful about losing a home"
MIGHT ??? I wonder how much time was spent on that point ?
SHEER GENIUS !!! I expect they got paid for this too .
SO WHO GET THE BLAME...........I KNOW YOU WANT TO BLAME SOMEONE..................COME ON !
Exactly! And also note: we are talking 1% a year from 2000-2009. If there was really a correlation, wouldn't we be talking a bigger percentage in 2008 and/or 2009?
This study goes right along with the number of animals abandoned at foreclosed homes, the number of divorces, suicides, etc. The whole country is suffering, and Barney Frank is enjoying his honeymoon.
Ewww.
You really need a study for that?
Stress makes people do all kinds of things...duh! I guess I am a scientist now, what a waste you geniuses!
It would have been cheaper in the long run if we had just purchased a house outright for all of these poor souls who have been "cheated" and "abused" by the system. We could devote one entire state to them. Free houses, healthcare, no jobs, cradle to grave entitlements. We can call it: Obamaland.
It can be a model for the whole soul sucking f*cking mess of a socialist paradise that the Tool in Chief has in mind.
This is the same silly logic as the study that stated "people with dogs live longer." People with the lifestyle of responsible pet ownership probably take care of themselves better, also. People with the lifestyle of financial stupidity probably aren't super great parents. Comments here are saying that no one needs to be told that financial stress is bad for families. But look around you. Duh.
D'ya think?!
Correlation is not causality. I wish there were more science savy people out there, I see this all the time from "Study" s.
Ill say it again, CORILATION IS NOT CAUSALITY.
Everyone suffers eventually. I'm looking forward to the suffering of you arrogant, sanctimonious a**h*l*s who post here about your imaginary financial genius. You will lose a job and land face down on the concrete, your wife will leave you, your kids will hate you, your friends will abandon you and you will be treated like a criminal, simply because you lost a job and didn't find one of equal pay immediately. Remember your arrogance then.
*sniff, sniff* sounds like a country song.....
Hey Pray Hard, This thread isn't about your crappy life. You need a study to figure out that people who are bad with money are generally make bab parents? Your attitude represents all that's wrong in our society, it's the 'blame anyone and everyone, except the person who's actually responsible' game. The biggest fool you know, is the one who stares back at you in your reflection...
Everybody acts out more when they are stressed. It stands to reason that abusive people will do so as well. They did not need a study to prove it.
I was FORCED into early retirement at 56. Did I beat the crap out of my kids/wife? Nope. Was I freaked out and for the first year didn't know who or where I was....you bet!
Takes a small person to take out their angst/frustration on the innocent. Just like idiots who are hell-bent on suicide....take you own miserable self out....not your family with you.
No, it's not unemployment, it's foreclosure. Family moves in with other family members or friends, who may have their violent, ugly secrets and now have someone new to prey upon.
Damn Babs, what sort of family do you have? You are committed to this argument.
People who are irresponsible and abusive to themselves and their mortgage companies are irresponsible and abusive to their children. I am shocked that the author(s) of this inane article could possibly come up with any other conclusion, and yet....
An increase of 1% and 3% on the two issues studied? Every study that is properly done has a margin of error and that margin of error should be reported as well. So this report should talk about a 1% increase (plus or minus 3%) and a 3% increase (plus or minus 3%) or whatever the margin of error is - and it is almost certainly 3% or greater. The study is meaningless.
In another ground breaking study, scientists have now proven that if you do not want large debt to live within your means. Also included in that study was that if you cannot afford children to use contraception such as condoms, spermicide and birth control pills. Video at 11.
One of the more meaningless aspects of this article is related to the pediatrician pontificating about what should be done to alleviate these stresses once this situation is found. First, doctors don't have time nor the background to take care of all the referrals to help these people. Second, most of those services are so limited, most people would just have to stand in line to get help.
Last more and more people are having too many kids they can't take care of. And when they get frustrated, they wham on the kids or their spouse. And then they have more kids.
More last, the system really is screwed up regarding these types of issues. Two of my friends's daughters got pregnant and had babies out of wedlock. Both were rewarded with an $800 allowance (by the state) for a place to stay, plus food stamps, welfare, etc. These kids younger sisters are seeing how cool it is to be able to have their own place and get away from mom, and so see having a baby as a ticket to free rent, their own place, and free care, food, etc. It's really disgusting how we allow this to happen over and over. Plus the two daughters just found out if they have another baby, they get another $400 raise! It's time that people who are on welfare and can't take care of their kids stop having more kids. Is it really so cruel to put people on birth control when they have shown they can't take care of their kids and are just going to live off welfare the rest of their lives? Can we really afford this? This is why China will bury us if we don't get off our butts and start making people pull their own weight.
I thought the author's name on this article was MEGAN Fox which I thought makes sense, alot of hotness, no brains.....