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Child abuse: attitudes and perceptions of health profession students--a pilot study
1Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Tufts School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
Insights
Child abuse and neglect are serious public health issues. Medical, dental, and public health students perceive child abuse as the most critical problem, highlighting a need for enhanced education on identification and intervention.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Medical Education
- Social Sciences
Background:
- Child abuse and neglect represent a significant global social and public health challenge.
- Healthcare professionals play a crucial role in identifying and responding to child maltreatment.
- Understanding future healthcare providers' perceptions is vital for effective prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate attitudes and perceptions of medical, dental, and public health students regarding child abuse and neglect.
- To assess students' prioritization of child abuse and neglect compared to other social violence.
- To gauge students' willingness to report child maltreatment and interest in further education.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire-based survey was administered to 214 students from three Boston institutions.
- Participants included students of medicine, dentistry, and public health.
- Statistical analyses were performed to interpret the collected data.
Main Results:
- Child abuse was ranked as the most serious problem, followed by domestic violence, child neglect, and abuse of vulnerable populations.
- A significant educational gap was identified concerning diagnostic methods and intervention strategies for child abuse and neglect.
- Students expressed a willingness to report child maltreatment and a desire for additional coursework.
Conclusions:
- Future healthcare professionals recognize child abuse and neglect as a paramount public health concern.
- There is a clear need for improved educational curricula to equip students with skills for addressing child maltreatment.
- Targeted training can enhance students' capacity to identify, report, and intervene in cases of child abuse and neglect.
Abstract:
Child abuse and neglect is a serious social problem with global dimensions. The purpose of this study was to assess attitudes and perceptions of students of medicine, dentistry and public health at three Boston institutions about child abuse and neglect issues that they may encounter in their future professional lives. Among others, we investigated how participants rank the public health importance of child abuse and neglect in comparison with violent acts against other social groups, their willingness to report it and their potential interest to supplement their knowledge with additional course work. Two hundred and fourteen students participated in the study by completing our questionnaire. The results of the statistical analyses indicate that child abuse is considered the most serious problem, followed by domestic violence, child neglect and abuse of the handicapped and the elderly. We also documented that a significant educational need exists in this group, regarding diagnostic methods and interventions aimed to reduce the incidence and the impact of violence or neglect against children.