Development and Content Validation of an Interprofessional Collaboration Model for Child Sexual Abuse Prevention in Primary Health Care

Introduction: Child sexual abuse (CSA) remains a critical global public health problem with profound and long-term physical, psychological, and social consequences for affected children. Primary health care (PHC) services are strategically positioned as the first point of contact for children and families, enabling early identification and preventive interventions. However, CSA prevention efforts in PHC settings are frequently constrained by fragmented professional roles, limited coordination, and insufficient interprofessional collaboration, which undermine effective and timely responses. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to develop and validate an interprofessional collaboration model in primary health care aimed at strengthening the prevention of child sexual abuse, using a structured expert assessment approach to ensure conceptual clarity, contextual relevance, and content validity. Methods: A methodological study was conducted using a multi-phase expert-judgment design. The initial model was developed based on a comprehensive review of international literature on interprofessional collaboration, child maltreatment prevention, and primary health care systems. Content validation was undertaken by a multidisciplinary panel of experts representing health and child protection professions. The Content Validity Index (CVI) method was applied to assess the relevance and clarity of each model component. Item-level CVI (I-CVI) and scale-level CVI (S-CVI/Ave) were calculated to determine overall content validity. Results: The finalized interprofessional collaboration model comprised seven dimensions with a total of 27 indicators, including personal factors, situational factors, work behaviors and attitudes, organizational outcomes, collaborative commitment, cultural factors, and collaborative governance. All indicators demonstrated excellent content validity, with I-CVI values ranging from 0.83 to 1.00 and an overall S-CVI/Ave of 0.94, indicating a high level of expert agreement. Conclusion: The validated interprofessional collaboration model provides a structured and contextually relevant framework for strengthening CSA prevention within primary health care settings. The model has the potential to enhance coordinated preventive actions, early identification, and organizational accountability for child protection. Further empirical testing in real-world PHC contexts is recommended to assess feasibility and effectiveness.