Diagnosis and evaluation of child maltreatment

ABSTRACT

This study was done to evaluate the child maltreatment [abuse]problem in Sammalot and to identify the underlying high risk factors. It was carried out on 80 subjects all of them were victims of child abuse from Sammalot General Hospital. They were diagnosed to be abused from the detailed history and medical examination. It was found that, the high risk age group for family victimization was those below the age of 5 years. The most common type of child abuse was the physical and there was no significant difference between the number of male and female victims. The high risk factors studied showed that, non living with the parents, non educated families, poverty and substance abuse were time strongest predictors for injury from child abuse. This study concluded that child abuse is a world wide phenomenon that interfere with the child's normal social, cogmitiveand spiritual development and elimination of its risk factors help in facing this problem in our society