A multidisciplinary approach for the treatment of child abuse in Korea.
10.3345/kjp.2009.52.11.1207
- Author:
Bong Kyu SONG
1
;
Do Kyun KIM
;
Hye Young PARK
;
Jun Won HWANG
;
Young Ho KWAK
Author Information
1. Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea. yhkwak@snuh.org
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Child abuse;
Child advocacy
- MeSH:
Child;
Child Abuse;
Child Advocacy;
Fathers;
Follow-Up Studies;
Humans;
Infant;
Korea;
Medical Records;
Mothers;
Surveys and Questionnaires;
Retrospective Studies;
Social Workers;
Wit and Humor as Topic
- From:Korean Journal of Pediatrics
2009;52(11):1207-1215
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: To review and determine the complications in 76 child abuse cases recorded by a multidisciplinary hospital-based child protection team between 1987 and 2007. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the reports and medical records of child abuse cases maintained by a university hospital-based child protection team. We devised a questionnaire for standardized interviews with the victims' guardians to determine the current physical and mental status of the children; questionnaires were answered by social workers of the child protection team who interviewed the present fosterers of 24 (35.8%) children. RESULTS: Of the 76 children, 6 were infants, 10 were 1-3 years old, were 3-10 years old, and 19 were over 10 years old. Seven children (9.2%) were neglected and 27 (35.5%) and 44 (57.9%) were sexually and physically abused, respectively. In more than half of the cases, the perpetrators were the father or mother of the children. Most children (41 cases, 53.9%) were abused at their homes. The mean follow-up duration from the time of abuse infliction was 54.3+/-49.2 months, and the current mean age of the children was 8.3+/-6.4 years. Moderate and severe developmental delay and physical disability were observed in 6 (25.0%) and 3 (12.5%) cases, respectively. In 13 children (54.2%), the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) score was less than 60, which indicates mild mental disability. CONCLUSION: A hospital-based child protection team may witness the different proportion of abuse types and patterns by conducting a nation-wide survey of child abuse cases.
