Medicine

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Subject: search.filters.subject.Child Abuse

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    Media portrayal of child abuse in Sri Lanka and the impact of two incidents of child abuse on media coverage
    (Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, 2016) Liyanage, N.; Rodrigo, A.
    BACKGROUND: Child maltreatment is increasingly being recognized as an important public health issue in` Sri Lanka. Most public knowledge in Sri Lanka on this issue, and direction for public policy, originate from mass media, which may sensationalise the issue. AIMS: This paper evaluates the themes and major discourses present in Sri Lankan print media on child abuse, and aims to determine if content, style and frequency of these news items have been affected by the tragic child abuse-murder incidents in 2015. METHODS: Articles on child abuse and their readers’ comments were manually selected from the websites of the two daily newspapers with highest readership in Sri Lanka during two 3-month periods, before and after the above mentioned incidents. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyze the findings. RESULTS: The number of articles relating to child abuse increased significantly from 0.6% to 5% of the total articles reviewed in the two periods. The focus of the articles changed from merely reporting facts and highlighting the evil nature of child abuse perpetrators, to inefficiency of law enforcement authorities in finding and punishing perpetrators. Readership and online comments on these articles increased significantly in the post-incident period. Capital punishment for perpetrators was suggested by many readers in the post-incident period. CONCLUSION: The Sri Lankan public is very sensitive to news on child abuse with formation of firm, at times extreme, viewpoints on how to manage this issue. Thus responsible and accurate depiction of child abuse by the media is important.
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    Association between faecal incontinence, child abuse, somatisation and health related quality of life
    (Belgian Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (BeSPGHAN), 2013) Rajindrajith, S.; Devanarayana, N.M.; Benninga, M.A.
    AIMS : Faecal incontinence (FI) is an important lower gastrointestinal disease. Bad aroma around children with FI leads to rejection by peers, psychosocial isolation and learning difficulties. Aim of this study was to evaluate the association between FI, child abuse and health related quality of life (HRQoL) in children and adolescents. METHODS : Children aged 13-18 years were selected from four semi-urban schools in Gampaha district, Sri Lanka. A validated, self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection after obtaining consent from school authorities, parents and children themselves. Information regarding socio-demographic factors, gastrointestinal symptoms, child abuse, HRQoL and somatisation were collected. FI was defined as at least one episode of leaking of faeces in to the underwear per month. RESULTS: A total of 1807 children were included in the analysis [males/9.3 vs 53.8%), mean age 14.4years, SI.) 1.4 years]. Forty seven (2.6%) had FI. FT was significantly higher in boys (-74.49S vs. 25,6%% in girls, p < 0.0001)1. Prevalence of FI was significantly higher in those exposed to sexual abuse (17%.,. vs. 2.3% in non abused, p < 0.0.001)., emotional abuse i40.4% vs. 22.7%, p < 0.0001), and physical abuse (51% vs. 24:3.'%', p < 0.0001). Children with FI had higher mean somatisation score [mean 20.1, SD 14.5 vs. mean 9.3, SD 9.2 in those without FT (controls), p < 0.0001J. Children with FI had lower HRQoL scores for physical functioning (78.1 vs.'9:1:2.in controls, p < 0.0001), social functioning (78.4 vs. 92.6, p < 0.0001), emotional functioning (70.5 vs. 82.3, p < 0.0001) and school functioning (69.1 vs- 82.3, p < 0.0001) domains, and a lower overall HRQoL score (74.6 vs. 87.1, p < Q .0.001). CONCLUSIONS : FI in children shows a significant association with physical, sexual and emotional abuse. Children with FT have a range of somatic symptoms and a poor HRQoL score in physical, emotional, social and school functioning domains.
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    Quality of life in teenagers with abdominal pain related functional gastrointestinal disorders who have been exposed to child abuse
    (Belgian Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (BeSPGHAN),, 2013) Devanarayana, N.M.; Rajindrajith, S.; Benninga, M.A.
    AIMS: Large number of previous studies conducted in children and adults have shown a significant association between abdominal pain predominant functional gastrointestinal disorders (AP-FGD) and exposure to child abuse. The main objective of this study was to assess the impact of child abuse on quality of life of Sri Lankan with AP-FGD. METHODS: A randomly selected group of 13-18 year olds were screened using the Rome iii questionnaires criteria for AP-FGD were recruited after obtaining consent from school administration, parents and teenagers themselves. Information regarding exposure to abuse and quality of life were assessed using previously translated and validated questionnaires. The questionnaires were administered in an examination setting to ensure confidentiality and privacy. Research assistants were present during filling the question¬naires and verifications were provided. They were collected on the same day. RESULTS: A total of 290 children with AP-FGD were recruited [males 128 (44.1%), mean age 14.6 years and SDI 1.5 years]. The number of children exposed to physical, emotional and sexual abuse, were respectively 90 (31.0%), 101 (34.8%) and 16 (5.5%). Average scores obtained for physical (85.3% vs.89.3% in nonabused), emotional (69.9% vs.79.7%), social (86.3% vs. 92.6%) and school (73.7% vs. 80.6%) functioning domains of quality of life in children exposed to emotional abuse were significantly lower (p < 0.05, unpaired t-test). Similar decrease was observed in children exposed physical abuse in social (86.4% vs. 92.2%) and school (74.6% vs. 79.9%) functioning domains (p < 0.05), but not in physical and emotional functioning domains (p > 0.05). Exposure to sexual abuse did not show a significant difference in in quality of life (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS : Even among teenagers with AP-FGD, those exposed to child abuse have a significantly lower quality of life than those not exposed to abuse.
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    Post-traumatic stress in former Ugandan child soldiers
    (Lancet Publishing Group, 2004) Kuruppuarachchi, K.A.L.A.; Wijeratne, L.T.
    No Abstract Available.
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    Pseudo-convulsions in a child subjected to abuse
    (Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2003) Edirisinghe, A.; Samarasekera, A.
    No Abstract available
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    Conscription of children in armed conflict - a form of child abuse: a sudy of 19 former child soldiers
    (Wiley, 2001) de Silva, D.G.H.; Hobbs, C.J.; Hanks, H.
    Armed combat in childhood is a form of child abuse. It may lead to serious consequences, including post-traumatic stress disorder. The inherent emotional abuse and acts or omissions by caregivers may cause behavioural, cognitive, emotional or mental disorder in the child. Nineteen former child soldiers were interviewed in a rehabilitation centre using a standard questionnaire. Reasons for recruitment included: volunteered (18), hatred of enemy (revenge) (5), virtue of being a freedom fighter (martyrdom) (9), as a means of supporting their family (economic) (3). One child was abducted, 7 joined for fear of the ‘enemy’ abducting them, and in 5 a family member was killed by ‘enemy’ or own group. The children were involved in manual labour (15), guard duty (15), front-line fighting (7), bomb manufacture (5), setting sea/land mines (5) and radio and communication (2). Fifteen were trained in firearms and 14 in self-destruction. Twelve children attempted to or did run away and 11 refused to obey orders or argued. This led to various punishments, including kitchen duty, beatings, imprisonment, blackmail or death threats. A majority of the children felt sad and emotionally upset when they remembered their mother and family. Children's involvement in war, whatever the ‘justifications’ may be, should always be considered as forced, as they cannot truly comprehend their action in war. The responsibility must be taken by the adult caregivers. The following definition of the abuse of children in armed conflict is proposed: ‘The involvement of dependent, developmentally immature children and adolescents in armed conflict they do not truly comprehend, to which they are unable to give informed consent, and which adversely affects the child's right to unhindered growth and identity as a child’. Firm international agreement on guidelines for the lower age limit of recruitment of children into armed forces is required.
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    Some reflections on child abuse in Sri Lanka
    (Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians, 2000) de Silva, D.G.H.
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    Sexual abuse of illegally adopted children
    (Sri Lanka Medical Association, 1997) de Silva, D.G.H.; Jayawardane, P.P.; Rajindrajith, S.; Gunaratne, M.
    No Abstract Available
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    Child abuse in Sri Lanka
    (Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians, 1997) de Silva, D.G.H.
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    Child abuse:time for action
    (Sri Lanka Medical Association, 1996) Fernando, A.D.; de Silva, D.G.H.
    No Abstract Available
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