UWA Dental School, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia.
Aust Dent J. 2021 Jun;66(2):194-200. doi: 10.1111/adj.12823. Epub 2021 Feb 9.
Up to 50% of child abuse (CA) victims exhibit evidence of traumatic facial or intraoral injuries. Dental health professionals (DHPs) are therefore well-positioned to detect and report incidences of CA. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitudes of Western Australian DHPs towards identifying and reporting CA.
General dentists, specialists, hygienists and oral health therapists completed an online questionnaire which assessed their knowledge and experience in identifying and reporting CA.
A total of 228 participants completed the questionnaire (representing 7% of DHPs, 60% of paediatric dentists and 11% of all dental hygienists and therapists in Western Australia). The majority of participants (66.2%, P < 0.05) felt that they were unlikely to recognize a patient with physical abuse, or detect signs of sexual abuse (90.8%, P < 0.001). Uncertainty around diagnosing abuse was a barrier towards reporting cases (86.4%, P < 0.05) and most participants (78.0%, P < 0.05) felt that they did not have adequate safeguarding training to report CA.
Self-reported confidence in identifying and reporting CA cases was low; with the majority of the dental professionals participating in this study unlikely to recognize signs of CA. Inadequate training and knowledge around correct reporting protocols were identified as barriers, which warrants an appropriate change to improve child safeguarding.
多达 50%的儿童虐待（CA）受害者表现出创伤性面部或口腔内损伤的证据。因此，牙科保健专业人员（DHPs）有很好的机会发现并报告 CA 事件。本研究旨在评估西澳大利亚 DHPs 识别和报告 CA 的知识和态度。
普通牙医、专家、洁牙师和口腔健康治疗师完成了一份在线问卷，评估他们在识别和报告 CA 方面的知识和经验。
共有 228 名参与者完成了问卷（占 DHPs 的 7%，儿科牙医的 60%，西澳大利亚所有牙科保健师和治疗师的 11%）。大多数参与者（66.2%，P<0.05）认为他们不太可能识别出遭受身体虐待的患者，或发现性虐待的迹象（90.8%，P<0.001）。对虐待诊断的不确定性是报告病例的障碍（86.4%，P<0.05），大多数参与者（78.0%，P<0.05）认为他们没有足够的保护报告培训来报告 CA。
自我报告的识别和报告 CA 病例的信心较低；参与这项研究的大多数牙科专业人员不太可能识别出 CA 的迹象。缺乏适当的培训和正确报告协议方面的知识被确定为障碍，这需要进行适当的改变以改善儿童保护。
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