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Relationship between infant malnutrition and childhood maltreatment in a Barbados lifespan cohort.

Rebecca S HockCyralene P BryceDeborah P WaberSarah McCuskeeGarrett M FitzmauriceDavid C HendersonJanina R Galler
Published in: Vulnerable children and youth studies (2017)
Childhood malnutrition and maltreatment (abuse, neglect) are both prevalent, particularly in resource-limited settings. Despite their known negative impact on child development, there is surprisingly little research documenting their interrelationships. To address this gap, we administered the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), a retrospective structured self-report of childhood abuse and neglect, in a Barbadian cohort of 77 adult survivors of infant malnutrition, limited to the first year of life, and 62 healthy controls from the same classrooms and neighborhoods (mean age ± SD = 43.8±2.3 years). This cohort has been followed since birth. Using factor analysis and comparison with archival data addressing similar constructs, we found evidence for reliability and validity of the CTQ-SF in this population. Linear regression analyses, with and without adjusting for childhood household standard of living at three childhood ages, revealed that a history of infant malnutrition was significantly associated with increased levels of self-reported physical neglect in childhood, and, to a somewhat lesser degree, emotional neglect. This study highlights the co-occurrence of infant malnutrition and self-reported maltreatment in childhood in Barbados, with potential public health implications.
Keyphrases
  • early life
  • childhood cancer
  • public health
  • young adults
  • mental health
  • physical activity
  • machine learning
  • risk assessment
  • electronic health record
  • human health