Volume 25, Issue 114, August 2021

Medical students’ knowledge of child abuse and neglect in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study

Omar A Alshouimi^1♦, Musaad N Almusaad¹, Meshari M Aldawood¹, Ahmad M Khalaf², Rheem Abdulla Almhizai³

¹Medical Intern, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
²Fifth Year Medical Student, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
³Consultant & Assistant Professor of pediatrics, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

^♦Corresponding author
Medical Intern, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Background: Child abuse and neglect are considered one of the problems that affect the child and lead to various psychological problems. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional questionnaire that included all medical students in Saudi Arabia. Results: Total of 403 of medical students participated in our study. About 54.8 % and 54.3 % of them were male and aged between 22-24 years old, respectively. About 55.8 % of participants indicated having an educational training about child abuse and neglect during their study. Our participants believed that the main risk factors for child abuse were alcoholic parents (82.9 %), parents with mental conditions (74.4 %), marital and family problems (72.2 %), low socioeconomic status (70.2 %), and low level of education of parents (67 %). Conclusion: Good knowledge was observed among medical students regarding risk factors and symptoms of child abuse and neglect but with lack of confidence. The medical students believed that developing a curriculum for under-graduate students and further specialized training is required to gain more experience with diagnosing and referring children who have been abused or neglected.

Keywords: Child abuse, child neglect, medical student, knowledge, Saudi Arabia

Medical Science, 2021, 25(114), 1844-1850

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