Introduction to the Special Issue: The Physical Health Consequences of Childhood Maltreatment-Implications for Public Health

Childhood maltreatment, including physical and sexual abuse as well as child neglect, is highly prevalent with recent estimates from the Department of Health & Human Services This special issue emphasizes state of the art methodologies and focuses on the explication of potential mechanisms that might help explain the connection between childhood maltreatment and physical health outcomes. Examples of methodological advances included in this special issue are: meta-analysis, longitudinal prospective study, mediational modeling, extensive statistical control for potential confounds, inclusion of substantiated/confirmed childhood maltreatment victims, and one-to-one demographic matching of subjects in control conditions. The compiled papers also include inquiry into multiple levels of human functioning including psychopathology, immune function, brain activity, neurocognitive function, autonomic nervous system activity, and gene  environment interactions. In addition to identifying the potential for deleterious effects of childhood maltreatment, several articles introduce and test models of physiologic protective factors that might serve to buffer the effects of childhood maltreatment on the development of psychopathology in pediatric samples. Hence, this special issue is an opportunity to bring together and synthesize rigorous research in order to bolster strong inference and to function as a key resource aimed at improving pediatric care for victims of childhood maltreatment. Special Issue There are two broad sections to this special issue: (a) documenting the relationships between childhood maltreatment and general physical health outcomes across a wide range of conditions and complaints, and (b) examining the impact of childhood maltreatment on a number of biological systems that may have long-term implications for overall physiologic functioning and quality of life. The first section, focused on general health outcomes, includes several articles documenting the relationship between childhood maltreatment and several distinct health outcomes. Irish, Kobayashi, and Delahanty (2010) bring together 31 studies in a comprehensive meta-analysis examining the long-term physical health effects attributable to childhood sexual abuse. The meta-analysis include