Al Hashmi R, Hussein I, Kowash M, Welbury R, Al-Halabi M
Ministry of Health and Prevention, Dubai, UAE.
Pediatric Dentistry, Hamdan Bin Mohammed College of Dental Medicine (HBMCDM), Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU), Dubai, UAE.
Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2021 Aug;22(4):651-658. doi: 10.1007/s40368-021-00602-9. Epub 2021 Feb 4.
Dental assistants (DAs) and hygienists (DHs) should play an active role in the detection and reporting of child abuse and neglect (CAN). We aimed to investigate CAN knowledge of DAs and DHs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and some of the inhibiting factors to the process of CAN reporting.
A cross-sectional study design was utilized. We surveyed 186 DAs and DHs using a previously validated self-administered anonymous CAN knowledge questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using χ-square, Fisher's exact test, t test/Mann-Whitney, and a ROC curve (p < 0.05).
Among 186 DAs and DHs surveyed, satisfactory knowledge of CAN was demonstrated by 50.5%. DAs scored a significantly higher score of knowledge compared to DHs (p = 0.03). The most reported CAN referral inhibiting factor was "being afraid to get in trouble with parents". The recognition of a child with special needs and parents missing multiple appointments as risk factors for CAN was significantly higher in the DAs compared to DHs (p = 0.04, p = 0.024, respectively). Awareness of local laws was related to CAN knowledge in DAs (p = 0.012) and DHs (p = 0.008).
The lack of appropriate knowledge regarding CAN necessitates a clear reporting process and better education for DAs and DHs in the UAE.
牙科助理（DAs）和口腔保健员（DHs）应在儿童虐待和忽视（CAN）的发现及报告中发挥积极作用。我们旨在调查阿拉伯联合酋长国（UAE）的牙科助理和口腔保健员对儿童虐待和忽视的了解情况以及一些阻碍儿童虐待和忽视报告流程的因素。
采用横断面研究设计。我们使用一份先前经过验证的自填式匿名儿童虐待和忽视知识问卷对186名牙科助理和口腔保健员进行了调查。使用卡方检验、Fisher精确检验、t检验/曼-惠特尼检验和ROC曲线进行统计分析（p < 0.05）。
在接受调查的186名牙科助理和口腔保健员中，50.5%的人对儿童虐待和忽视有令人满意的了解。牙科助理的知识得分显著高于口腔保健员（p = 0.03）。最常报告的儿童虐待和忽视转诊阻碍因素是“害怕与家长产生麻烦”。与口腔保健员相比，牙科助理对有特殊需求的儿童以及家长多次错过预约作为儿童虐待和忽视风险因素的认识显著更高（分别为p = 0.04，p = 0.024）。对当地法律的知晓与牙科助理（p = 0.012）和口腔保健员（p = 0.008）的儿童虐待和忽视知识相关。
在阿联酋，由于缺乏关于儿童虐待和忽视的适当知识，有必要为牙科助理和口腔保健员制定明确的报告流程并提供更好的教育。
