Analysis of quality-of-care indicators for physically abused children and adolescents

There has still been limited evaluation in Brazil on the care provided to physically abused children and adolescents. The current study aimed to analyze indicators used in research on services that provide care to such children and adolescents. An exploratory study was conducted, selecting five studies in four services: two nongovernmental organizations in two cities in the interior of S?o Paulo State and two organizations, one nongovernmental and the other governmental, in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The analysis aimed to identify the indicators used (structure, process, or result) and which aspect of care they proposed to measure (dynamics of care, treatment adherence, case-resolving capacity, and integration with the network). Eighteen process indicators and nine results indicators were identified. A minimum set of essential indicators is recommended to evaluate care for children and adolescents and their families.