Awareness Levels of Child Neglect and Abuse in Nursing Students

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the awareness level of the students in the Yakın Doğu- Near East University Nursing Faculty about child neglect and abuse. The population of this descriptive study was composed of 520 students. In order to collect the data, Questionnaire for Socio-demographic Characteristics to determine sociodemographic characteristics of the students and The Diagnosis Scale of the Risks and Symptoms of Child Abuse and Neglect (DSRSCAN) were used, in December 2018 - June 2019. Obtained data were analyzed by their percentage, distributions and average. Kruskal Wallis H Test and Mann Witney-U Test were also used. According to the results of the research, it was found that there was a significant difference between the students' gender, class, knowledge child neglect and abuse, the case of child neglect and abuse case or suspicion and the level of awareness about child neglect and abuse. There was no statistically significant for age. While the highest mean score of the stu-dents was obtained in “signs of neglect on child” subscale, the lowest mean score was obtained in ‘characteristics of children prone to abuse and neglect” subscale. Total scale mean score was 3.45+0.45. It was determined that the students' level of awareness about child neglect and abuse was not sufficient. More emphasis on child neglect and abuse in the nursing education curriculum may be important in raising the awareness level of the students.