Infant homicide (infanticide) is a leading cause of traumatic death for infants in the United States. Certain factors are associated with a greater risk for its occurrence. Identification of situations with significant risk may allow for preventive intervention.
Age criteria: <= 12 months of age
Study Population: all deaths occurring in the United States before 1 year of age for the period between 1983 and 1991
Findings: half of the homicides occurred by the fourth month of life
Risk Factors with Relative Risk > 3
|
Risk Factor |
Finding |
Relative Risk |
|
maternal age |
<= 19 years of age |
4.6 to 6.8 |
|
years of education |
<= 12 years of schooling |
3.9 to 8.4 |
|
marital status |
single |
4.3 |
|
race |
Black |
3.5 |
|
|
American Indian |
3.6 |
|
prenatal care |
none |
10.4 |
|
|
first visit after 6th month of pregnancy |
3.7 |
|
gestational age for infant |
< 28 weeks |
3.6 |
|
birth order |
murdered infant as the second or subsequent birth, AND mother < 25 years of age |
4.3 to 10.9 |
(from: Table 2, page 1214)
|
Cause of Infant Death |
Percent |
|
battering or other maltreatment |
32.9% |
|
assault by unspecified means |
28.1% |
|
suffocation or strangulation |
10.2% |
|
drowning |
4.3% |
|
firearms |
3.0% |
|
criminal neglect |
2.9% |
|
arson |
2.3% |
|
cuts and stabbing |
2.1% |
|
other |
14.2% |
(from: Table 1, page 1213)
Specialty: Clinical Laboratory
ICD-10: ,
