Identifying Children Potentially at Risk of Abuse at the Emergency Setting: A Qualitative Study on Healthcare Professionals.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund’s (UNICEF’s) World Report on Child Injury Prevention,1 while communicable
diseases are still the primary killer of infants, injuries contribute significant proportions of deaths for children aged between 5 and 14 years (27%) and adolescents/young adults aged 15-29 years (40%).
Each year, injury and violence kills up to 950,000 children under 16 years of age and millions more suffer long-term consequences of non-fatal injuries.2 And about 60% of road traffic injury deaths occur in the South East Asian and Western Pacific Regions.3 Again, to further demonstrate the importance and significance of the burden of injuries to children, everyday over 2,000 children die as a result of an injury worldwide, and many more sustain severe injury outcomes.1 Based on the Child Maltreatment fact sheet by WHO, every year, there are an estimated 41,000 homicide deaths in children under 15 years of age. Reported levels of non-fatal abuse are much higher.
Similarly, children who experience parental abuse or neglect are more likely to show negative outcomes that carry forward into adult life, such as ongoing problems with emotional regulation, self-concept, social skills, and academic motivation, as well as serious learning and adjustment
problems, including academic failure, severe depression, aggressive behaviour, peer difficulties, substance abuse, and delinquency.
In summary, the effect of child abuse/maltreatment on individuals can be devastating and life-long, with significant impact on many aspects of life, even during later stages of life. It also has an enormous impact on the economy, largely contributing towards the increasing burden on the healthcare system.
Public Health Open J. 2018; 3(1): 1-12. doi: 10.17140/PHOJ-3-124