The Race to Address Health Inequalities by 2030: Community Nursing in the Lead (Accepted for oral presentation) City University of London, London, UK (April 15-17, 2025)

Background: Child abuse and neglect (CAN) remain signicant global public health issues, affecting children's well-being, family dynamics, and societal contexts. In Arab League countries, insucient evidence hinders the development of effective interventions and preventative measures, exacerbating health inequalities and undermining overall child health. Aim: To systematically review the prevalence and patterns of CAN across Arab League countries and emphasize the role of community nursing in addressing these health disparities. Methods: This systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines and included searches in PubMed, IRIS, and ScienceDirect databases. Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed studies published in English from 2010 to 2020, targeting children under 18, investigating various forms of CAN (physical, sexual, emotional, neglect, or domestic violence), and conducted in one of the 22 Arab League member countries. Results: This review includes 22 studies that met the inclusion and quality criteria. Most studies focused on school-aged children and teenagers. Perpetrators included strangers,  parents, and teachers. Only four studies addressed reporting and referral procedures for child abuse cases. Ten studies examined short-term physical injuries sustained by children due to abuse and neglect without any investigation of the long-term effects on children and society. Conclusions and Implications: The ndings underscore the need for collaborative efforts to protect children and promote their well-being. A multi-stakeholder approach involving policymakers, healthcare professionals, educators, social workers, and communities is crucial to addressing the root causes of child abuse. Community nursing plays a vital role in this effort by raising public awareness, educating children on self-protection, and implementing preventative

Title

The Race to Address Health Inequalities by 2030: Community Nursing in the Lead

Publisher

OXFORD

Publisher Country

United Kingdom

Publication Type

Prtinted only

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