Separate Fact from Fiction in Cases of Child Abuse: A Tool for Pediatricians

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Phase II of Stop, Look and Listen (SLL): Separating Fact from Fiction in Evaluating Cases of Child Abuse: an Interactive Learning Tool for Pediatricians seeks to improve the frequency of reporting and accuracy of childabuse assessment and reduce racial bias in reporting of suspected child abuse. The Phase II program will meet the following specific objectives: 1) To expand on the work done in Phase I by the addition of four cases for the development of a total of six cases; 2) To identify and seek the interest of a diverse group of professionals for whom SLL would be most valuable; 3) To give clinicians guidance with language that can elicit meaningful information in evaluations of suspicious cases; 4) To augment the basic case teaching tool with meaningful features such as continuing medical education, maintenance of certification, and easily accessible contact information for State and local child protective services; and, 5) To evaluate the effectiveness of SLL at achieving its learning objectives the expert panel will develop specific teaching points that will support the learning objectives and will be the basis for checks on learning. The coupling of clinical decision support methods, adult learning principles withinnovative technology will provide the simulated environment to improve clinician practice in the challenging field of child maltreatment. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The alarming rate of child maltreatment and deaths in the United States resulting from child abuse and underreporting by physician mandated reporters speak to the urgent need for educational curricula that address not only the knowledge but the skills and affective components of child abuse reporting. The Stop, Look, and Listen project will improve outcomes for abused children by providing an online teaching tool that enhances the skills of pediatric practitioners in identifying cases of physical abuse and increases professional comfort (through modeling of effective communication) in reporting cases of physical abuse.