Health education for nurses in Japan to combat child abuse.

A health education program for nurses was conducted to address the complex problem of child abuse, which has reached epidemic proportions. In Japan, the number of consultations has risen 23-fold over the past 11 years. Maltreatment of children is a public health problem as perilous as any contagious disease. The International Council of Nurses asks for nurses' leadership to strengthen measures to combat abuse throughout the world. The Japanese Nursing Association has published statements for prevention, detection and support. Yet, few community-based education programs with a multidisciplinary perspective have been reported that focus on nurses, the largest group of health providers. More than 200 nurse educators, clinicians and managers met for a one-day program designed to improve understanding of the nurses' role in combatting the abuse and neglect of children and to formulate action plans. This significant health problem is addressed in the context of a health education program's needs, objectives, content and evaluation.