Knowledge and Attitude of Pediatricians and Pediatric Residents Regarding Child Abuse and Neglect

Introduction:Child abuse and neglect is a public health challenge with lifelong consequences for survivors. Physicians’ knowledge regarding child abuse and neglect is essential for diagnosis, treatment, and timely referral to legal authorities. This study aimed to determine pediatric residents’ and pediatricians’ knowledge and attitude regarding child abuse and neglect.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, pediatric residents› and pediatricians› knowledge and attitude regarding child abuse and neglect were measured using a standard questionnaire with confirmed validity and reliability. In this questionnaire, knowledge score ranged from ۰ to ۱۷, and attitude score ranged from ۱۰ to ۵۰. After collecting the questionnaires and calculating the scores, the information was entered into the SPSS software (version ۲۲), and statistical analysis was performed.Results: A total of ۸۰ participants, including ۳۸ pediatric residents and ۴۲ pediatricians, participated in this research. Among them, ۷۱.۳% were female, and ۲۸.۸% were male. The mean score of knowledge and attitude in all participants was ۱۴.۰۵ ± ۱.۸۸ out of ۱۷ and ۴۱.۳۹ ± ۴.۳۶ out of ۵۰, respectively. The mean score in the pediatric residents and pediatricians was ۱۳.۴۲ ± ۲.۰۲.  and ۱۴.۶۲ ± ۱.۵۷ for knowledge and ۴۰.۶۶ ± ۴.۳۲ and ۴۲.۰۵ ± ۴.۳۵ for attitude, respectively. Regarding knowledge, ۱۹ participants (۲۳.۸%) had a good score, ۳۵ (۴۳.۸%) had a moderate score, and ۲۶ (۳۲.۵%) had a poor score (p=۰.۲۴). There was a significant difference in terms of knowledge score among four academic groups (first-year resident, second-year resident, third-year resident, and pediatrician) (p=۰.۰۳۱), as the score wassignificantly higher in pediatricians than in residents (p=۰.۰۰۴). However, no significant difference was observed for attitude score (p=۰.۰۵۶). In general, and regarding all participants, no significant relationship was observed between attitude score and knowledge score (p=۰.۰۵۹).Conclusion: Most pediatric residents and pediatricians participating in the present study had moderate knowledge and attitude toward child abuse and neglect, and less than a quarter of the participants had good knowledge in this regard. Also, the pediatricians had significantly higher knowledge scores than the pediatric residents. These results emphasize the importance of more education for pediatric residents regarding child abuse and neglect and continuing education programs for pediatricians.

Keywords:

Child abuse , Neglect , Knowledge , Attitude , pediatric residents , Education