Silent cries, hidden truths: Are healthcare professionals and teachers equipped to spot and stop child abuse and neglect?

Abstract

Background: Child abuse and neglect (CAN) remain among the most critical public health and social issues worldwide, exerting lasting effects on the physical, emotional, and psychosocial well-being of children. Healthcare professionals and educators occupy pivotal roles in early identification, reporting, and prevention of such cases. However, their preparedness and awareness levels vary across disciplines. Objective: To evaluate the awareness, recognition ability, and reporting preparedness regarding child abuse and neglect among healthcare professionals (paediatricians, pedodontists, and general dentists) and school teachers in and around Davanagere, India. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among 206 participants paediatric dentists (n=40), general dentists (n=54), paediatricians (n=55), and school teachers (n=57) aged between 25-65 years with at least one year of professional experience. A pre-validated structured questionnaire assessed awareness, confidence in identifying abuse and neglect, legal literacy, barriers to reporting, and preferred training formats. Data were analysed using SPSS 27. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were applied, and p-values