Human Trafficking of Children: Nurse Practitioner Knowledge, Beliefs, and Experience Supporting the Development of a Practice Guideline: Part Two

Author: Peck, Jessica

Abstract: Part 1 of this series addressed low levels of awareness about child trafficking among pediatric health care providers, supporting the need for clinical practice guidelines to aid evidence-based response to potential victims in the clinical setting. The purpose of this article was to explore evidence related to effective clinical response when encountering at-risk children or those who have experienced trafficking and make recommendations for a practice guideline. Methodology included an integrated review of the literature included electronic data search of PubMed, Ovid, and CINAHL and application of the social ecological model for thematic analysis. Research is primarily inconclusive on the effective clinical response for victims and potential victims of child trafficking, indicating the need for practice guidelines directed at both prevention and intervention. This review supports pediatric clinicians as ideally equipped and situated to intervene in a myriad of care settings on behalf of children with health disparities who are vulnerable to trafficking, advocating for prevention, and optimization of equitable health outcomes.

Keywords: clinical practice guideline, human trafficking, sex trafficking, labor trafficking, pediatric