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Injury‐Related Healthcare Use and Risk of Filicide Victimization: A Population‐Based Case–Control Study
Author(s) -
Bäckström Björn,
Hedlund Jonatan,
Masterman Thomas,
Sturup Joakim
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/1556-4029.13908
Subject(s) - poison control , injury prevention , occupational safety and health , suicide prevention , medical emergency , human factors and ergonomics , medicine , population , health care , environmental health , political science , pathology , law
Research on child‐related risk factors for filicide is scant. We investigated whether prior healthcare use for injury (including poisoning) influences filicide risk. Victims (0–14 years; n = 71) were identified in a national autopsy database for the years 1994–2012 and compared to matched, general population controls ( n = 355). Healthcare use data were retrieved from a national patient registry. Risks were estimated using odds ratios ( OR s) and 95% confidence intervals ( CI s). For females, prior inpatient care for injury conferred a statistically significant sevenfold risk ( OR = 6.67 [95% CI : 1.49–29.79]), and any prior injury‐related healthcare use conferred a statistically significant fourfold risk ( OR = 3.57 [95% CI : 1.13–11.25]), of filicide victimization. No statistically significant risks were found for males. Healthcare personnel should be aware that children treated for injuries, especially females, may be at an elevated risk of filicide victimization. Nevertheless, the filicide base rate remains low, and parents may be stigmatized by unfounded alerts; thus, prudent reflection should precede reports to the authorities.