Abstract

Background: Child abuse and neglect (CAN) results in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development, or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust, or power. The knowledge and awareness of child healthcare providers regarding CAN is key for identifying and reporting suspected cases. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the level of awareness among interns and medical students in Majmaah University about CAN.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at the College of Medicine, Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia. The data were collected via a self-reported questionnaire that was distributed to the interns and medical students.
Results: Data from 194 students and interns were collected. The majority of the participants believed that CAN exists in Saudi Arabia, and more than two-third of the participants were willing to take up training courses and attend conferences for evaluating and dealing with suspected cases of CAN. Regarding reporting of CAN, more than 80% mentioned that all suspected cases should be reported, and nearly 25% were familiar with the steps of reporting CAN in the region.
Conclusion: The study demonstrated adequate knowledge and perception of medical students about child abuse and neglect and familiarity with the types and concept of CAN. However, majority of the participants had a poor knowledge of reporting and dealing with suspected cases of CAN. Therefore, there is an unmet need to provide training to improve their ability to detect and report cases of CAN.

Key words: Child abuse, child neglect, knowledge, perception, Saudi Arabia