Victims of Possible Foul Play and Associated Emergency Department Contacts and Hospitalizations

• In Event: Poster Session I

Abstract

Investigators are assessing possible outcomes associated with victims of foul play. Victims of foul play may require emergency medical care in emergency departments (EDs) and hospitalizations. In addition, EDs and hospitals may the locations where foul play such as neglect, abuse, and homicide occur. The present investigation is part of the Foul Play Project, which is based on a random sample of 5,366 cases involving possible foul play that were reported in the media. This investigation tests the null hypothesis that possible foul play victimization is not associated with ED visits and hospitalization. Each case was coded using a protocol that contains 851 variables. The coded data were entered into a data file and Chi-Square and correlational analysis were then performed using Systat 9 for Windows program (1999). The null hypothesis was rejected. Victims of possible foul play were more likely to go to the emergency department or be hospitalized (62%) than not hospitalized or seen in the ED (38%) (Chi-Square= 88.78, df=1, p<.000). These results remained statistically significant after controlling for possible intervening factors. This study assesses the implications of foul play victimization and ED contacts/hospitalizations for victimization prevention policies and programs.

Author

• Stephen Morewitz, California State University, East Bay