Child Maltreatment, Trauma, and Physical Health Outcomes: The Role of Abuse Type and Placement Moves on Health Conditions and Service Use for Youth in Foster Care

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of the study was to investigate the relations between abuse types, non-maltreatment-related trauma, and health service utilization in a sample of youth in foster care with and without chronic medical conditions.

Method: A total of 213 youth, aged 8-21 years, provided self-report of general trauma and abuse exposure. Medicaid claims for each child were collected from official state databases.

Results: Exposure to sexual abuse, neglect, or general trauma but not exposure to physical abuse or psychological abuse increased the rates of medical visits, while only general trauma increased medical hospitalizations.

Conclusions: Trauma types are not equally predictive of health care utilization for youth with chronic health conditions.

Keywords: at-risk youth; child maltreatment; chronic illness; health care services; trauma.