Child abuse and neglect on Oahu, Hawaii: description and analysis of four purported risk factors.

Four factors are commonly considered to indicate "high risk" for child abuse/neglect: (1) low birth weight, (2) young maternal age, (3) mother with single marital status, and (4) low socioeconomic status (SES). These factors were investigated for Oahu, Hawaii, in four separate retrospective studies (using 100 abused cases and 100 controls), to evaluate their usefulness for screening at delivery. Data were obtained from a sample of 2,036 confirmed cases, during the period from 1977 to 1979. Contrary to many studies from mainland United States, low birth weight and single marital status were not associated with increased risk of child abuse/neglect. Single marital status in Hawaii may not be associated with increased risk because it does not have the same social and cultural connotations as it does on the mainland United States. This observation suggests a need to consider regional and cultural variations in investigating and screening for child abuse/neglect.