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Forensic expertise and child abuse: a survey among preventive child healthcare workers in Amsterdam, the Netherlands

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Abstract

Aim

In the Netherlands, preventive child healthcare workers (PCHWs) have an important role in identifying signs of abuse, because they reach virtually all children. A closer cooperation of PCHWs and forensic physicians could improve the detection of child abuse. The aim of the study was to evaluate the use of forensic expertise by PCHWs.

Subjects and methods

In November 2013, a survey was distributed among PCHWs employed by the Amsterdam Public Health Service (n = 221).

Results

Forty-nine percent of PCHWs indicated suspicions of physical abuse during the last 6 months (response rate: 43 %). In all, 89 % rated the consultation of forensic physicians as useful. In a 1-year period, only three respondents sought advice from a forensic doctor.

Conclusions

Although PCHWs regularly have suspicions of physical child abuse and have a very positive attitude towards consulting a forensic physician, consultation rates are very low. More research is needed to understand barriers to consultation of forensic physicians.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by institutional funds provided by the Amsterdam Public Health Service.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology, Health Promotion and Care Innovation, Public Health Service Amsterdam, P.O. Box 2200, 1000 CE, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Tina Dorn & M. Ceelen

  2. Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    P. Leenen & R. Lindeboom

  3. Department of Forensic Medicine, Public Health Service Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    U. J. L. Reijnders

Authors
  1. Tina Dorn
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  2. P. Leenen
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  3. R. Lindeboom
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  4. M. Ceelen
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  5. U. J. L. Reijnders
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tina Dorn.

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The authors certify that there is no actual or potential conflict of interest in relation to this article.

Ethical statement

I testify on behalf of all co-authors that the present manuscript has not been published in whole or in part elsewhere, is not currently being considered for publication in another journal, and that all authors were personally and actively involved in substantive work leading to the manuscript, and will hold themselves jointly and individually responsible for its content.

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Dorn, T., Leenen, P., Lindeboom, R. et al. Forensic expertise and child abuse: a survey among preventive child healthcare workers in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. J Public Health 25, 155–159 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-016-0772-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-016-0772-1

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