The effect of child abuse on child health
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Date
2022-02-09
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kamuzu University of Health Sciences
Abstract
This is a quantitative and qualitative cross-section study aimed to explore and
estimate the impact of child abuse on child health in Blantyre rural areas. Child abuse
have a great impact on child health that affect the development of Malawi as nation
in many ways, the study will focus on the estimation of the impact of child abuse on
child health and determining the child health problems that emerge due to child
abuse.
Participant will be selected through convenience and simple random sampling
technique and data will be collected in two ways, secondary data on child abuse
based on the reported cases at Blantyre district social welfare office and primary data
through in-depth interviews with people about child abuse according to the areas that
have reported cases. Participant questionnaire will be used to collect social
demographic data and the forms of child abuse and their related child health
problems.
The results will be presented at the research dissemination at the College of
Medicine. The results of the study will help to reduce some of the child health
problems that occur due to child abuse. This will be through establishment of strong
and active institutions and guidance that help to deal with issues of child abuse when
they occur and public awareness on the impacts of child health problems that occur
due to child abuse and policy enforcement.
Child abuse or maltreatment has existed for centuries but societies have been very
slow to acknowledge it as a problem. Children and young people are vulnerable and
cannot protect themselves.
Child abuse is highly prevalent and associated with increased risk for a range of
health problems. Some of the problems include cancer, cardiovascular disease,
diabetes, psychiatric disorders and physical injuries [14]. Child maltreatment or
abuse is a significant public health concern given its prevalence and potential impact
on health not only during childhood but also later in life [14].
Each year in the United States, approximately three million reports are made to child
welfare agencies. These reports only represent the tip of the iceberg, while here in
Malawi, statistics at the districts social welfare Office shows that at least 30 cases
are recorded every month [13]. Which also represents the tip of the iceberg, this is
because most people do not come open in public since this issue is sensitive and
some are not aware of what child abuse is [6].
Child abuse is in many forms. These forms are sexual, emotional, physical abuse as
well as neglect [1].
Health care providers, especially those assessing patients with mental health
problems, need to be aware of the relation between specific types of child abuse and
certain mental conditions [10]. Success in preventing child abuse could lead to
reductions in the prevalence of mental disorders, suicidal ideation and suicide
attempts [12].
2.0 RATIONALE
”Child abuse in Africa is a major threat to the achievement of the sustainable
development goals on the continent and has become increasingly topical with a
dramatic increase in recognition and appreciation of the long-term harmful effects
on the affected population” [2]. According to Y Madhlopa and J Qin, the occurrence
of child abuses causes internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Child
maltreatment particularly emotion abuse and neglect, is associated with a wide range
of long-term adverse health and developmental outcomes. In agreement with Andrea
Danese 2020, child maltreatment affects mental health. Abused children are more
likely to have low self-esteem, poorly progress with school, end up in prison, and
develop psychological disorders. Child physical maltreatment can lead to brain
damage due to trauma leading to failure of the brain to grow properly and normally
function. Controlling the act of ill-treating children could prevent the mental health
impairment.
Two out of every Malawians experience violence in childhood and most acts of
physical violence occur in the context of physical punishment [5]. This may be due
to different understandings of ways to correct a child. A knowledge, attitude and
practice (KAP) study was undertook in urban Malawi and this research’s one of the
specific objectives is to understand peoples’ knowledge of child abuse in rural
Blantyre [5].
A renewed focus on prevention and early intervention strategies, especially related
to psychological maltreatment, will be required to address these challenges in the
future. This research will screen child maltreatment risk in Blantyre and the results
will motivate improving this problem. Establishing strong institutions and guidance to tackle abuse when it occurs is also both beneficial to the survivors and the
community at large. Training primary school teachers and having medical people on
schools would encourage children that are being abused to report. Free telephone
help-lines would also be useful to report such cases. In that way, the impact of child
abuse on child health would be reduced.
3.0 OBJECTIVES
3.1 Broad objective
To explore and estimate the impact of Child abuse on child health in
Blantyre rural
3.2 Specific objectives
To assess the knowledge of child abuse and its impact on child health in
Blantyre rural
To determine the most common forms of child abuse in Blantyre rural
To determine the child health problems that emerge due to child abuse
To estimate child mortality rate due to child abuse
Description
Keywords
The effect of child abuse on child health