| A multidisciplinary approach for the treatment of child abuse in Korea |
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Bong Kyu Song1, Do Kyun Kim1, Hye Young Park2, Jun Won Hwang3, Young Ho Kwak1 |
1Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
2Child Protection Team, Seoul National University Children’s Hospital, Seoul, Korea
3Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea |
| 병원 기반 학대아동보호팀의 20년간의 활동 경험 |
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송봉규1, 김도균1, 박혜영2, 황준원3, 곽영호1 |
1서울대학교 의과대학 응급의학교실
2서울대학교 어린이병원 학대아동보호팀
3서울대학교 의과대학 정신과학교실 |
Correspondence:
Young Ho Kwak, Email: yhkwak@snuh.org
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| 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. |
| Key Words:
Child abuse, Child advocacy |
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