[Child protection: Pediatricians' knowledge and practices in Brittany]

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Child Protection
• Public Health

Background:

• Reformed child protection laws in 2007 placed responsibility for child abuse and neglect management with child protection services.
• A 2014 study revealed general practitioners' (GPs) unfamiliarity with child protection updates, indicating a need for specialized training.
• Previous research highlighted knowledge gaps among GPs, prompting a similar investigation into pediatricians' understanding and practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the knowledge and practices of pediatricians in Brittany concerning child abuse and neglect.
• To compare the findings from pediatricians with those previously reported for GPs in Ille-et-Vilaine.
• To identify barriers preventing pediatricians from reporting suspected cases of child abuse and neglect.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous postal survey was conducted among pediatricians in Brittany between May and July 2014.
• A questionnaire, adapted from a prior study on GPs, was used to ensure comparability of results.
• Data collected included pediatricians' activity, knowledge of child abuse and neglect, and reporting practices.

Main Results:

• Only 4.4% of surveyed pediatricians scored over 80% on the knowledge assessment, with 12% scoring below 50%.
• 41% of pediatricians reported no cases of child abuse or neglect since 2007.
• Key barriers to reporting included lack of feedback from social services (9% received), insufficient training, and fear of misdiagnosis.

Conclusions:

• Child protection remains an under-addressed area, even among pediatricians.
• Pediatricians with more training and experience in child abuse cases demonstrated better knowledge.
• There is a strong demand for improved caregiver training (92%) and practical guidance (97%) to enhance child protection reporting.