What happens after the hospital? An analysis of longitudinal care needs in children treated for child physical abuse.

Abstract Background Victims of child physical abuse (CPA) undergo stabilization and social evaluation during initial management. Current data guides the initial hospital course, but few studies evaluate post-hospital care. The aim of this study was to evaluate compliance with recommended post-discharge visits. Methods A retrospective review of our trauma database at a Level I pediatric trauma center from 2014–2018 was performed. Data included demographics, injuries, and longitudinal outcomes. Descriptive statistics and univariate analyses were performed. Results There were 401 patients (409 unique presentations). Median age was 7 months. Mortality was 6%. Ninety-five percent (358/377) had recommended appointments with multiple specialty services. Compliance with all recommended visits during the first year after injury was 88%. Patients with complex injuries were as likely to comply with recommended follow-up [72% vs. 67%, p = 0.4]; however, they were more likely to still be receiving care at 1 year (58% vs. 14%, p = 0.0001). Those discharged to CPS custody were more likely to be compliant with their follow-up (90% vs. 82%, p = 0.03). Conclusion Patients significantly injured due to CPA require more post-hospital care over time. CPA management guidelines should include a mechanism to provide resources to these patients and manage multiple coordinating consultants .