The Child Abuse Committee in the University of Oregon Medical School was formed in 1966 to help the staff recognize child abuse cases and do something about them. This research report is an evaluation of their effectiveness as I an agency attempting to prevent further injury to the children involved. Indications are that timely intervention and subsequent "follow through" have been helpful to the families and improved the situation substantially. A study of the abuse cases seen through the hospital for the calendar years of 1969 and 1970 revealed that almost all of the children from these study years who were seriously injured came from two parent homes with their natural parents. Comparisons between the two study years indicate a more comprehensive handling of suspected abuse cases in 1970 with corresponding improvement in outcome.

This study was conducted at the University of Oregon Medical School located in Portland, Oregon. This school has performed many abortions since Oregon liberalized its abortion law in 1969. In Oregon in 1968 before the abortion law was changed there were 238 abortions performed, 35% of these were for women under the age of 19. During 1971 there were 6,997 abortions of these 2,625 were for girls of age 19 and younger.