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Notice to Readers: National Parent Leadership Month --- February 2005
February is National Parent Leadership Month, dedicated to recognizing the important role of parents in raising healthy families in their homes and communities. The event is sponsored by Parents
Anonymous® Inc., which is supported by
private and government agencies, including CDC. Throughout the month, events across the United States will present information on how parents and foster parents can become active leaders in promoting positive behaviors and preventing childhood injuries.
Each year in the United States, hundreds of thousands of children and adolescents are at high risk for injuries, some involving child abuse and neglect, that can lead to death or disability
(1). During 2002, according to data collected from
state child protective services agencies, an estimated 896,000 children were determined to have been abused
(2). Children who experience maltreatment are at increased risk for adverse health effects and behaviors as adults, including smoking, alcoholism, drug abuse, physical inactivity, severe obesity,
depression, suicide, multiple sex partners, and certain chronic diseases, such
as heart disease and diabetes (3).
During National Parent Leadership Month, parents, community leaders, teachers, health-care providers, and others
can become informed about effective strategies to prevent childhood abuse and neglect. These strategies include behavioral
parent training and home visitation programs, which can
reduce the rate of child maltreatment (4,5). Additional information
about activities to prevent child maltreatment is available at
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/cmactivities.htm.
References
CDC. Fact sheet: injuries among children and adolescents. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2004.
National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information. Child maltreatment 2002: summary of key findings. Washington, DC:
US Department of Health and Human Services; 2004. Available at
http://nccanch.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/factsheets/canstats.cfm.
Felitti V, Anda R, Nordenberg D, et al. Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in
adults. Am J Prev Med 1998;14:245--58.
CDC. Using evidence-based parenting programs to advance CDC
efforts in child maltreatment prevention: research brief 2004. Atlanta, GA:
US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2004. Available at
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/parenting/default.htm.
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Department of Health and Human Services. CDC is not responsible for the content
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