Health News
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- 1 In 4 Grandparents Keep Meds Where Kids Can Reach Them
A new poll shows nearly one in four grandparents say they store prescription medicines in places that can be accessed by children. Unintentional poisonings cause more visits to the emergency room for young children ? one every 10 minutes ? than car accidents,...
- More Children Are Victims Of Abuse Than Of Sids, Study Finds
As the state's major newspapers and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services battle over how public records pertaining to child abuse and neglect should be handled, children continue to be victims across the country. A study published Monday in...
- Americans Having To Travel Farther To Get Trauma Treatment As Hospitals Close
Millions of Americans are farther away from trauma care than they were 20 years ago, with some having to travel more than 30 minutes to get treatment. Experts say getting help within the first hour is crucial. A study published in the journal Health...
- Child Abuse Rates Have Risen Significantly Since The Economy Went Into Recession, Survey In Ky. And 3 Other States Shows
Child abuse rose as the economy went into recession, shows a study of reported abuse to children under 5 in Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington. From 2004 to December 2007, before the financial meltdown, the rate of abusive head trauma in...
Health News
UK study reports high rates of trauma exposure in Kentucky children who are raised by their grandparents
The University of Kentucky Center for Trauma and Children sent out a report about the well-being of trauma-exposed families in which a grandparent is the primary caregiver and where no biological parent is present. The report calls these families "grandfamilies." In Kentucky, more than 67,000 children live with a grandparent, and biological parents are absent in more than half of those cases. "According to the study, substance abuse, child maltreatment and incarceration were the top three reasons these children lived with a grandparent," Elizabeth Adams writes for UK Public Relations.
The report also found that 73 percent of children in the sample of grandfamilies had suffered one or more traumatic experiences, and more than 16 percent had suffered four or more. Forty-three percent of the grandparents said their grandchild had a special mental-health need, and more than 17 percent said their grandchild had been diagnosed with a disorder related to trauma. Also, the grandparents participating in the study said they suffered from an average of at least two chronic illnesses.
Almost 300 grandparent caregivers participated in the study through the Caregiver Program for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren between March 2013 and December 2013. Both rural and urban families were interviewed. The study highlights a need for more specialized services for traumatic stress in children and "enhanced legal, financial and health care resources for their caregivers," Adams writes.
Dr. Ginny Sprang, director of the UK Center for Trauma and Children, served as the principal investigator for the study. To schedule an interview about the study, contact Elizabeth Adams at [email protected]. Electronic copies of the report are also available.
The report also found that 73 percent of children in the sample of grandfamilies had suffered one or more traumatic experiences, and more than 16 percent had suffered four or more. Forty-three percent of the grandparents said their grandchild had a special mental-health need, and more than 17 percent said their grandchild had been diagnosed with a disorder related to trauma. Also, the grandparents participating in the study said they suffered from an average of at least two chronic illnesses.
Almost 300 grandparent caregivers participated in the study through the Caregiver Program for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren between March 2013 and December 2013. Both rural and urban families were interviewed. The study highlights a need for more specialized services for traumatic stress in children and "enhanced legal, financial and health care resources for their caregivers," Adams writes.
Dr. Ginny Sprang, director of the UK Center for Trauma and Children, served as the principal investigator for the study. To schedule an interview about the study, contact Elizabeth Adams at [email protected]. Electronic copies of the report are also available.
- At Least One In Eight Teens, And Perhaps One In Five, Have A Mental-health Issue; Adhd Tops, Substance Abuse Also High
The most comprehensive report yet on mental disorders in children shows attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed problem in those aged 3-17, and the most common health issues for teenagers include addiction to...
- 1 In 4 Grandparents Keep Meds Where Kids Can Reach Them
A new poll shows nearly one in four grandparents say they store prescription medicines in places that can be accessed by children. Unintentional poisonings cause more visits to the emergency room for young children ? one every 10 minutes ? than car accidents,...
- More Children Are Victims Of Abuse Than Of Sids, Study Finds
As the state's major newspapers and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services battle over how public records pertaining to child abuse and neglect should be handled, children continue to be victims across the country. A study published Monday in...
- Americans Having To Travel Farther To Get Trauma Treatment As Hospitals Close
Millions of Americans are farther away from trauma care than they were 20 years ago, with some having to travel more than 30 minutes to get treatment. Experts say getting help within the first hour is crucial. A study published in the journal Health...
- Child Abuse Rates Have Risen Significantly Since The Economy Went Into Recession, Survey In Ky. And 3 Other States Shows
Child abuse rose as the economy went into recession, shows a study of reported abuse to children under 5 in Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington. From 2004 to December 2007, before the financial meltdown, the rate of abusive head trauma in...