Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, State University of Paraíba, Campina Grande, PB, Brazil.
Dent Traumatol. 2010 Apr;26(2):149-53. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-9657.2009.00859.x. Epub 2010 Jan 11.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of injuries to the head and orofacial region in physically abused children and adolescents from a city of the Northeast of Brazil, based on the review of forensic medical reports. This retrospective study was undertaken by the analysis of expert medical reports derived from medical forensic exams performed at the Department of Forensic Medicine of the city of Campina Grande, PB, Brazil, between January 2003 and December 2006. From a universe of 11 624 reports issued in this time span, the study sample consisted of 1070 reports referring to children and adolescents aged 0-17 years that were confirmedly victims of physical abuse. Male children (52.8%) in the 13- to 17-year-old range (72.4%) were the most frequent victims, with an association between gender and age group (P = 0.039). Most children (58.2%) presented a single type of injury, with a statistically significant association between number of injuries and gender (P = 0.040), but no significant association between number of injuries and age (P = 0.163). The percentage of victims injured in the head and face corresponded to 56.3%, with a statistically significant association between the presence of injury in the head and face and gender (P = 0.046). As much as 12.4% of the children and adolescents presented intraoral injuries, with no significant difference between genders (P = 0.543). However, a statistically significant association was observed between the number of existing injuries and the presence of oral injuries (P = 0.005). The maxilla was predominantly affected (55.6%), most injuries (94.8%) being soft-tissue lacerations located mainly in the upper lip (46.4%). The findings of this survey revealed a high prevalence of injuries to the head and orofacial region of physically abused children and adolescents.
本研究旨在评估巴西东北部某城市遭受身体虐待的儿童和青少年头面部损伤的发生率和特征，方法是审查法医报告。这是一项回顾性研究，通过分析 2003 年 1 月至 2006 年 12 月期间在巴西坎皮纳格兰德市法医系进行的法医检查得出的专家医疗报告进行。在所研究的 11624 份报告中，该研究样本由 1070 份报告组成，这些报告涉及在该时间段内确认为身体虐待受害者的 0-17 岁儿童和青少年。13-17 岁的男性儿童（52.8%）是最常见的受害者，且性别与年龄组之间存在关联（P = 0.039）。大多数儿童（58.2%）仅有一种损伤类型，损伤数量与性别之间存在统计学显著关联（P = 0.040），但与年龄之间无显著关联（P = 0.163）。头面部受伤的受害者比例为 56.3%，头面部损伤与性别之间存在统计学显著关联（P = 0.046）。多达 12.4%的儿童和青少年存在口腔内损伤，但性别之间无差异（P = 0.543）。然而，存在的损伤数量与口腔损伤之间存在统计学显著关联（P = 0.005）。上颌骨受影响最严重（55.6%），大多数损伤（94.8%）为软组织裂伤，主要位于上唇（46.4%）。该调查的结果表明，身体虐待的儿童和青少年头面部损伤发生率较高。
