Establishment of indicator for screening of child abuse and neglect in primary school-age children

Authors

  • Y Kaihara Department of Dental Hygiene, Ogaki Women's College, Ogaki-shi
  • H Sasahara Department of Oral Biology & Engineering, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima
  • N Niizato Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Integrated Health Sciences, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima
  • A Yamane Innoshima Medical Association Hospital, 1962 Onomichi
  • H Nikawa Department of Oral Biology & Engineering, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima
  • K Yamasaki Sendamachi Dental Clinic, Hiroshima
  • K Hosohara Hoshohara Dental Clinic, Hiroshima
  • K Kozai Department of Oral Biology & Engineering, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23804/ejpd.2022.23.04.11

Keywords:

Child abuse and neglect, Primary school, Early detection of abuse, Dentist

Abstract

AIM: In Japan, elementary schools are committed to early discovery of child abuse and neglect. Under Japanese law, dentists are required to be involved in child welfare and early detection of child abuse. However, the extent to which dental practitioners cooperate for prevention of child abuse with schools remains limited to date. Therefore, we undertook a community-based project that aimed to develop screening indicators to identify potentially abused children based on their oral health condition and behavioural characteristics in education settings. We have already reported on the relationship between oral health condition and child abuse. The present study established an indicator that can facilitate identification and prevention of child abuse/neglect. METHODS: Study design: Cross-sectional study. Questionnaires were given to teachers at an elementary school to ascertain behavioural characteristics observed in children who experienced abuse. CONCLUSION: We developed a check sheet for proper assessment, which requires as little effort as possible, and an index for screening children in need based on teaching staff's observation of students' daily behaviour in school settings. Highly selected items are advantageous as they lead to a decrease in non-response or responses, which can help in improving the accuracy of the response to each question.