Ophthalmologists' Attitudes, Knowledge, and Willingness to Report Child Abuse

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Child Abuse
• Medical Education

Background:

• Child abuse identification and reporting are critical public health responsibilities for medical professionals.
• Ophthalmologists, like other medical specialists, may encounter suspected child abuse cases.
• Understanding ophthalmologists' perspectives on child abuse is essential for developing targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess ophthalmologists' knowledge, attitudes, and willingness to report child abuse.
• To identify barriers and facilitators influencing child abuse reporting among ophthalmologists.
• To evaluate the impact of training and demographic factors on reporting practices.

Main Methods:

• An online questionnaire was administered to 107 ophthalmologists in Israel.
• The questionnaire assessed attitudes, knowledge levels, and self-reported identification and reporting of child abuse.
• Statistical analysis was used to explore relationships between training, demographics, and reporting behaviors.

Main Results:

• Less than half of ophthalmologists identified or suspected child abuse, and a similar proportion reported it.
• Ophthalmologists demonstrated low average knowledge regarding child abuse identification and reporting.
• Prior training and being a resident were associated with higher knowledge levels.
• Female ophthalmologists showed more agreement on the obligation to report and higher willingness to report.

Conclusions:

• A significant gap exists between the identification and reporting of child abuse by ophthalmologists.
• Lack of knowledge is a primary barrier to reporting, particularly for medical specialists.
• Implementing comprehensive training programs for ophthalmologists is vital to enhance child abuse reporting.