Abstract
Purpose: To clarify the characteristics and related factors of children and their mothers who required child-rearing support that assessed as high risks of child abuse by public health nurse and their section.
Methods: We analyzed 224 children and 199 their mothers’ maternal and child health consultation documents which were recorded in the city A in 2015. The data included the mothers’ basic attributes, the basic attributes of children, and supports of the public health nurses for them, all of which were assessed by public health nurses. We performed logistic regression analysis to clarify the characteristics and risk factors that influenced the mothers who would have high risks of child abuse.
Results: Among 224 children and 199 mothers, 150 of their children (67.0%) and 133 of mothers (66.8%) were found out to have low risk of child abuse, and 74 of their children (33.0%) and 66 of mothers (33.2%) were considered to have high risks of child abuse. The logistic regression analysis revealed that the mothers who had a relationship problem with their partner, and faced difficulties with child-rearing at the 4 month health checkups for their infants were more likely to have high risk of child abuse.
Discussion: The results showed that the mothers who required child-rearing support included smoothly passed during pregnancy. To preventing child maltreatment, identifying the relationship of mothers and their partner, and their difficulties with child-rearing were useful information for public health nurses.
