Using an Injury Prevention Model to Inform a Public Health Approach to Child Protection

Abstract

In this chapter, we draw on the epidemiology of child abuse to make the case for the importance of taking a public health approach to the problem. From there, we describe the elements of a public health approach and apply them to the prevention of child abuse and neglect, distinguishing the public health perspectives from those of other disciplines. This includes focusing on key elements of a public health approach in general, including population level interventions, primary prevention, and attention to underlying disparities and social determinants of health problems and relying on evidence-based practice. More specifically, we introduce concepts and models from injury prevention within a public health context and explore some of the dilemmas in applying these approaches in general and, specifically in the context of child abuse prevention.