Income Inequality may Increase Risk of Child Abuse

A recent study by researchers from Cornell University shows that based on statistics from 3,142 American counties from 2005 to 2009, the risk of child abuse increase with higher amounts of income inequality.

"Our study is the first to demonstrate that increases in income inequality are associated with increases in child maltreatment," said John J. Eckenrode, professor of human development and director of the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research, via The Cornell Chronicle. "More equal societies, states and communities have fewer health and social problems than less equal ones - that much was known. Our study extends the list of unfavorable child outcomes associated with income inequality to include child abuse and neglect."

Background information from the study notes that nearly 3 million children younger than 18 years old are physically, sexually or emotionally abused and neglected each year in the United States alone, making up for about 4 percent of the population.

"Certainly, poor counties with general, overall poverty have significant problems with child abuse," Eckenrode said. "We were more interested in geographic areas with wide variations in income - think of counties encompassing affluent suburbs and impoverished inner cities, or think of rich/poor Brooklyn, New York - that's where income inequalities are most pronounced. That's where the kids are really hurting."

Researchers note how a single incidence of abuse can create pain that may last a lifetime due to traumatizing memories associated with the event or events of abuse.

"Child maltreatment is a toxic stressor in the lives of children that may result in childhood mortality and morbidities and have lifelong effects on leading causes of death in adults," researchers note, via the educational instituteion "This is in addition to long-term effects on mental health, substance use, risky sexual behavior and criminal behavior ... increased rates of unemployment, poverty and Medicaid use in adulthood."

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More information regarding the study can be found via the journal Pediatrics.