Reporting child abuse in Rwanda: attitudes and practices of physicians-a cross-sectional survey

Abstract

Introduction: in many countries there are laws to mandate the reporting of child abuse; despite such laws, it is known that many professionals, all over the world, fail to do so and this can be dependent on their attitudes and perceptions regarding child abuse. The objective of this study was to identify the attitudes and practices of paediatricians and paediatric residents regarding the reporting of child abuse in RwandaMethods: a cross-sectional survey of 61 Rwandan physicians (46 paediatric residents and 15 paediatricians) in Rwanda using the 'Child Abuse and Neglect Questionnaire,' employing 44 Likert question. Results: most physicians (92%) had received training in recognizing and reporting child abuse, 31% reported that this was inadequate. Only ten (16%) physicians reported a case of child abuse in the previous 12-months. Thirty-eight percent of physicians had, at some point, suspected child abuse and had decided not to report the incident. The biggest fear of reporting abuse amongst physicians was that unpleasant events would follow reporting.Conclusion: our results suggest under-recognition and under-reporting of child abuse in Rwanda. These findings support the implementation of regular, mandatory training on the recognition and reporting of child abuse. Systems of accountability to ensure reporting should also be put in place.

Keywords

• child abuse
• physicians
• attitudes
• rwanda