Epidemiology of Childhood Physical Abuse

Sequelae of childhood abuse pervade both psychiatric and physical disorders. Studying the frequency and contributing factors to childhood physical abuse, investigators examined data from the 2010 and 2012 waves of a CDC telephone interview survey, which included representative samples from multiple states totaling over 20,000 men and 30,000 women (approximately one quarter Hispanic and/or nonwhite).

Questioners screened for three risk indicators: parental mental illness before the respondents' age of 18, parental alcoholism or other drug abuse, and parental domestic violence. Respondents were also asked whether they had experienced childhood physical abuse. Among those reporting all three risk indicators, 78% of men and 67% of women reported…