Research needed on child abuse prevention: panel

By Andrew M. Seaman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – There still isn’t enough evidence to say whether office- or home-based programs ordered by doctors actually prevent child abuse when obvious signs of maltreatment are absent, according to a government-backed panel. The lack of a recommendation – known as an I statement, for “insufficient” – from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) echoes the same group’s 2004 conclusion, which also found a lack of evidence for or against child abuse prevention programs being applied to all kids, instead of just those clearly at risk. …