Researchers identify ways to improve care to trafficked children

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Newly published research by a CU School of Medicine faculty member and colleagues identifies multiple ways that health care providers and organizations can improve the quality of care provided to trafficked children.

Karen Albright, Ph.D., associate professor of medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, has edited a special issue of Child Abuse & Neglect, a journal published by the International Society on the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect.

The special issue focuses on the needs of and service provision for trafficked and exploited children. In addition to research studies, it features a number of innovative programs around the globe that use a to address the medical and mental health needs of this population.

Albright is also lead author an article featured in the issue, a systematic review of the barriers to, facilitators of, and recommendations for improving health services to trafficked and exploited children.

The review identifies 45 facilitators and 118 barriers to high-quality health care to this population, the vast majority of which fall under the locus of control of the healthcare provider and healthcare organizations. Prominent among the barriers are lack of health on and trauma-informed care, lack of health facility protocols and guidelines on human trafficking, and lack of multidisciplinary collaboration between health providers and community service providers.

The review also identifies 52 recommendations for medical and mental health service provision to trafficked children. These recommendations provide a road map of actionable steps that can be taken at multiple levels, from individual providers to large-scale social and structural changes, to improve care.

More information: Karen Albright et al, Systematic review of facilitators of, barriers to, and recommendations for healthcare services for child survivors of human trafficking globally, Child Abuse & Neglect (2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.104289

Journal information: Child Abuse & Neglect
Citation: Researchers identify ways to improve care to trafficked children (2020, March 4) retrieved 28 March 2024 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-03-ways-trafficked-children.html
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