Objective: This study aimed to determine the level of knowledge, awareness, and attitude about shaken baby syndrome (SBS) among parents in the Qassim region, Saudi Arabia.
Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted that evaluated the SBS knowledge and attitude among the Qassim population by distributing a questionnaire to a sample that matched the criteria.
Results: In total, 373 parents participated in the study, with 82.0% mothers, 49.1% over 40 years old, 98.1% Saudi citizens, and 95.7% married. Out of the 373 participants, 70% were not aware of SBS. The majority (85%) had poor knowledge about SBS, while only 15% had an excellent understanding. However, 85.3% of the individuals expressed interest in learning more about SBS. The preferred sources of information were the internet and social media (39.2%) and doctors or medical personnel during vaccination visits (31%). Interestingly, there were no significant differences in parental knowledge based on gender (p = 0.722) or nationality (p = 0.957).
Conclusions: Parents in the studied region had low knowledge of SBS. Educational programs and awareness campaigns are needed to inform them about the grave consequences of this form of child abuse.
Key words: Parents, abuse, awareness, shaken baby syndrome.
|
