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Child Abuse Negl. 2021 Sep;119:104745. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104745. Epub 2020 Sep 29.

Readiness assessment for implementation of a large scale child maltreatment prevention program in Qatar.

Child abuse & neglect

Khalid Alansari, Zamzam Saleh Al Hammadi, Nadeem Jilani, Heather Vaux, Jyothi H Shadaksharaiah, Majid A Al-Eissa, Hassan N Saleheen, Maha Almuneef

Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar; Emergency Department, Sidra Medicine, Qatar; Weill Cornell Medical College- Qatar, Doha, Qatar. Electronic address: [email protected].
  2. Emergency Department, Sidra Medicine, Qatar.
  3. Department of Nursing, Pediatric Emergency Center, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar.
  4. King Abdullah International Medical Research Center / King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences; National Family Safety Program, King Abdulaziz Medical City - Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  5. King Abdullah International Medical Research Center / King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences; Department of Pediatrics, King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital, King Abdulaziz Medical City.

PMID: 33004212 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104745

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Child maltreatment is a worldwide problem, with lifelong consequences for the survivors. The focus is shifting from Child Maltreatment Protection to Child Maltreatment Prevention. The objective of this descriptive study was to assess readiness for child maltreatment among stakeholders before implementation of large-scale prevention programs in Qatar.

METHODS: The study involved structured interviews with 45 representatives of various stakeholders in sectors of national and local entities of Qatar. A survey was conducted among these stakeholders, to explore their perception and level of awareness of child maltreatment in Qatar. All of them responded, with a response rate of 100%. A multidimensional tool, developed by WHO and collaborators from several middle and low-income countries, was used to assess ten dimensions of readiness.

RESULTS: Child maltreatment prevention readiness in Qatar is low with a total score of 37.8 on a scale of 0-100. The respondents scored high (≥ 5) in knowledge of child maltreatment (5.3), legislation, mandates and policies (6.8) and informal social resources (non-institutional) (5.6). Participants, however, scored low (≤ 5) in their knowledge about current program implementation and evaluation (1.1), human and technical resources (1.7), institutional resources and links (2.3), material resources (2.8), scientific data on child maltreatment prevention (3.1), attitude towards child maltreatment prevention (4.3) and will to address the problem (4.8).

CONCLUSION: Child maltreatment prevention readiness in Qatar is low and requires improvement in some of the areas. It highlighted the need for capacity building among organizations across Qatar for a large scale CMP program to be successfully implemented.

Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Child abuse; Child maltreatment; Neglect; Preparedness; Prevention; Qatar

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