NCJ Number
191716
Date Published
1998
Length
56 pages
Annotation
This study estimates the number of boarder babies and abandoned infants nationwide in 1998 and compares the estimate with that of a 1991 study.
Abstract
Both studies asked State child welfare agencies to identify jurisdictions that might have had boarder babies. This request resulted in contacting 865 hospitals in 101 jurisdictions in 1991 and 926 hospitals in 113 jurisdictions in 1998. Pediatric discharge staff at each hospital provided estimates of the number and characteristics of boarder babies and abandoned infants in the previous year. Results revealed an estimated 13,400 boarder babies nationwide in 1998. These numbers represented a 38 percent increase in the boarder baby population between 1991 and 1998. The percentage of the babies born prematurely declined from 47 percent in 1991 to 35 percent in 1998; the percentage with a low birthweight declined from 57 percent to 33 percent. Drug exposure was a characteristic of 79 percent of the babies n 1991 and 65 percent in 1998. The daily cost for boarder baby care rose 17 percent from $476 in 1991 to $570 in 1998. However, the reductions in average and median length of stay beyond medical discharge led to decreases in the costs of care for each baby from $10,472 in 1991 to $5,130 in 1998. Results also revealed an estimated 17,400 abandoned infants in these jurisdictions in 1998, an increase of 46 percent since 1991. The average length of stay did not change for abandoned infants. Finally, an analysis of newspaper articles revealed 65 infants discarded in an inappropriate place with no care or supervision in 1992 and 105 discarded infants in 1997. The analysis concluded a continuing increase is occurring in the underlying problem of needing additional in-home support services or finding appropriate alternative living arrangements for infants whose parents cannot provide care. Figures, tables, and appended list of jurisdictions included in the surveys