Physicians feel ill equipped to address child sexual abuse issues, which affect 1% of the nation's children.
While many healthcare professionals understand their responsibility to address suspicions of possible sexual abuse, they prefer that parents raise the issue, according to a study conducted at Children's Hospital in Boston. Dr. M. Ranee Leder, an assistant professor of clinical pediatrics at Ohio State University, led the study.
Physician-focused education and training is needed to address this sensitive issue. For instance, many physicians do not know the types of questions they should ask children when they suspect sexual abuse.
The study found that if healthcare professionals did discuss possible sexual abuse with parents or children, they tended to use non-specific terminology, such as referring to parts of the genitalia as "down there" or asking about "inappropriate touching, a problem going on or any messing around," according to the study.
A lack of training and time and discomfort with the subject were the most common reasons sexual abuse was not discussed by healthcare professionals.
The study is based on interviews with 65 healthcare workers, including pediatricians, child psychiatrists, child psychologists and nurse practitioners.
It is published in the August issue of Pediatrics.
(Ohio State University, Dr. M. Ranee Leder, 614/292-6930)