Bottom Line: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) finds limited or inconsistent evidence on the benefits of primary care interventions to prevent child maltreatment (defined as abuse, neglect or both). Children with signs or symptoms suggesting maltreatment should be assessed or reported according to applicable state laws.
Background: The USPSTF routinely makes recommendations about the effectiveness of preventive care services. This latest statement reaffirms its 2013 position that there is insufficient evidence on the benefits of primary care interventions to prevent child maltreatment. In 2016, approximately 676,000 children in the United States experienced maltreatment and more than 1,700 children died as a result.
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(doi:10.1001/jama.2018.17772)
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Note : More information about the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, its process, and its recommendations can be found on the newsroom page of its website.
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