Beyond Social Disadvantage: Advancing an Environmental Justice Framework to Address Child Maltreatment Risk

Child abuse and neglect (CAN) represent a significant global public health challenge influenced by socioeconomic disadvantages and the built environment. While existing research has looked into the social determinants of CAN, fewer studies have focused on how environmental factors interact with social vulnerabilities to affect risk levels. This study aims to fill that gap by utilizing an environmental justice framework and Self-Organizing Maps (SOMs) to categorize neighborhoods in Los Angeles based on social, environmental, and health-related characteristics. We examined physical abuse (CPA) and child neglect (CN) from 2020 to 2023 at the census block group level. Fifteen georeferenced indicators—such as poverty, tree equity, park access, heat exposure, and mental health—were used as input features in a Self-Organizing Map (SOM) to identify clusters of neighborhoods with similar socio-environmental profiles. Negative binomial regression was used to predict CN and CPA rates within clusters. Seven clusters describe socio-environmental neighborhood profiles in Los Angeles. The most disadvantaged cluster was defined by high poverty rates, limited green space equity, and poor mental health, with CPA and CN rates more than double those of the most advantaged cluster. Risk levels were significantly higher in areas with intersecting social and environmental challenges. These findings highlight that structural inequities, including restricted access to green infrastructure, increase CAN risk. Our results suggest the need for targeted investments in parks, trees, and other features of the built environment in underserved neighborhoods as part of a comprehensive, place-based approach supporting healthy environments for children.