Pediatric Nurses' Knowledge and Attitudes About Identifying and Reporting Cases of Child Abuse and Neglect in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Child maltreatment is a worldwide problem affecting around one billion children. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Ministry of Social Affairs legally mandated in 2009 that educational and healthcare divisions report suspected cases of child abuse and neglect to police and to Child Protective Center services. To date, literature about healthcare professionals’ knowledge about identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect cases in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia focused on pediatricians and dentists, and rarely included nurses. Findings from these studies noted pediatricians and dentists had insufficient knowledge about identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect cases. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the knowledge, attitudes, and experiences of KSA pediatric nurses about identifying and reporting cases of child abuse and neglect. Method: The study was a quantitative descriptive-correlational design with 229 nurses who provide care to children in hospitals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. An online self-report survey (80 items) assessed general and nursing demographics and history, knowledge of, attitudes with, experiences about, and perceived barriers related to identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect cases. Results: Overall, nurses were of Saudi nationality (79 %), female (88%), and had a bachelor’s degree in nursing (66%). Only 28% of nurses had adequate knowledge scores (80% or above) about child abuse and neglect. Knowledge scores were significantly higher among non-Saudi nurses, those who obtained their highest nursing degree outside Saudi Arabia, and those who suspected a child abuse and neglect case in the last five years. Knowledge scores were positively related to attitudes endorsing Saudi and hospital policies and procedures about reporting and identifying child abuse and neglect cases (i.e., nursing structural capital). In contrast, knowledge scores were inversely related to reluctance to report cases due to uncertainty about identifying and reporting cases, and fear of negative consequences to the child. Over half of the nurses (53%, n = 121) reported one or more cases of child abuse or neglect in the last five years. Of these nurses, 69% reported taking actions in accordance with Saudi and hospital policies and procedures. Findings from a discriminant function analysis successfully classified 95% of these nurses based on their nursing characteristics, nursing structural capital, nursing human capital, attitudes, and barriers about CAN. Conclusion: The majority of nurses had inadequate knowledge about identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect cases. Future studies may wish to consider whether preliminary and subsequent recertification in child abuse and neglect information would improve nurses’ knowledge and increase the likelihood of appropriate identification, reporting, and actions in child abuse and neglect cases.