Child abuse in Cameroon: evaluation of a training course on awareness, detection, and reporting of child abuse
Menick, D.Mbassa.; Ngoh, F.
Medecine Tropicale Revue du Corps de Sante Colonial 65(1): 33-38
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-682X PMID: 15903074 Document Number: 585244
This study evaluated the impact of a training seminar conducted on 29-30 April 1997 on the awareness, detection, and reporting of child abuse by health care providers (paediatricians, general practitioners, nurses, and social workers) working in paediatric emergency rooms of several medical facilities in Yaounde, Cameroon. An oral presentation using 137 slides (visual diagnosis of physical abuse) from the American Academy of Paediatrics (1994) was used. Data on awareness, detection, and reporting of child abuse were retrospectively collected before (May-July 1996) and after (May-July 1997) the training seminar. Prior to the training seminar, 39 cases of physical abuse were reported in a population of 1269 consulting patients (3.1%). After the seminar, a total of 161 cases of physical abuse were reported in a population of 1425 consulting patients (11.3%). It is concluded that the training seminar improves the ability of the health care providers to detect cases of child abuse.