Hospital response protocols for child sexual abuse and sexually transmitted diseases in children.
Hospitals are significant portals of entry to the health care system for children who have been sexually abused. Hospital staff have the opportunity to investigate, intervene in and prevent the cycle of abuse. Accordingly, several Canadian hospitals have standardized responses to meet the needs of the sexually abused child; however, the prevalence of protocols and the degree of standardization across the country have not been documented. A survey of hospitals in Canada indicated that 46% of hospitals that treated children had a response protocol for child sexual abuse and only 17% had a response protocol for sexually transmitted diseases in children. Protocols were more likely to be in place in hospitals that were accredited, specialized in paediatrics, were designated as teaching facilities for medicine, nursing and social work, and had more than 200 beds. In hospitals without protocols, staff were often not convinced of their need or desirability.
Kinnon
D
D
Division of STD Control, Department of National Health and Welfare, Ottawa, Ontario.
Doherty
J A
JA
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy*; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D006739:Hospital Administration / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires