Frequency of Child Abuse Before, During and After Confinement by COVID-19: A Multicentre Cross-Sectional Study in Bogotá

Abstract

Child abuse represents a significant global issue with profound short- and long-term social consequences. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated risk factors associated with child abuse, particularly during confinement periods. This study aimed to assess the frequency of child abuse in three health institutions in Bogotá from 2019 to 2021, encompassing the pre-pandemic, social isolation and social reopening phases. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted involving patients under 18 years diagnosed with child abuse through the ‘Buen Trato’ program at Clinica Colsanitas S.A. The study calculated the overall frequency of abuse across different periods and utilized descriptive statistics to characterize the cases. A total of 294 cases were identified, with a median age of 9.3 years; 60.9% were female, and 42.5% were adolescents. Sexual abuse emerged as the most prevalent form of abuse, primarily perpetrated by parents. The overall confirmed child abuse frequency was 47.6%, with a notable rise in cases during the pandemic: pre-pandemic (confirmed/reported: 104/207; 50.2%), social isolation (144/302; 47.7%) and social reopening (46/109; 42.2%). Interestingly, during the social isolation period, there was a decline in reported suspected abuse cases in health institutions, likely due to access barriers created by confinement measures.