Psychosocial paediatric training in Iraq: perspectives of trainers and students

Abstract

There is an absence of education regarding psychosocial issues in Iraqi paediatric training programmes. The aim of this study is to examine current knowledge and perspectives around these topics and to explore potential development in these programmes. 56 paediatric trainers and students at the Child Central Teaching Hospital, a hospital affiliated to the Al-Mustansyria medical college in Baghdad, responded to a questionnaire to evaluate knowledge and perspectives regarding psychosocial approaches to child and adolescent health as delivered presently via academic training and used in professional practice. The majority of the respondents reported having no training in psychosocial interventions. Using a scale from 0 (‘not relevant’) to 10 (‘very important’), psychosocial issues were rated 7.1 in their relevance to everyday paediatric practice. On a scale of 0 (‘very poor’) to 10 (‘totally adequate’), respondents rated formal current psychosocial training at 2.5. It is concluded that incorporating psychosocial approaches in paediatric training will lead to a broader base of knowledge in children’s health and contribute to the promotion of multidisciplinary practice in Iraq.

Keywords:

• Iraq
• psychosocial
• paediatricians
• academic training

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank all the participants for their time offered to this study. They appreciate the advice and inputs of Dr Leslie Scarth, FRCPsych, consultant child psychiatrist, Edinburgh, UK. The funding and support of this project have been received through the Iraqi Research Fellowship Program (IRFP), Council for Assisting Refugee Academics (CARA), UK.