Abstract
Children with disabilities (CWDs) are at a higher risk of being maltreated than are typical
children. The evidence base on the abuse of children with disabilities living in low- and middle-
income countries is extremely limited but the problem is particularly acute in East Africa.
We don't know the types of evidence that exist on this topic. This problem is compounded
by the fact that key indicators of disability, such as reliable prevalence rates, are not available
currently. This paper addresses this serious problem by mapping the existing evidence-
base to document the coverage, patterns, and gaps in existing research on the
abuse of children with disabilities in East Africa. An evidence map, following systematic
review guidelines, was conducted and included a systematic search, transparent and structured
data extraction, and critical appraisal. Health and social science databases (Medline,
EMBASE, PsychInfo, Taylor&Francis, Web of Science, and SAGE) were systematically
searched for relevant studies. A substantive grey literature search was also conducted. All
empirical research on the abuse of CWDs in East Africa was eligible for inclusion: Data on
abuse was systematically extracted and the research evidence, following critical appraisal,
mapped according to the type of abuse and disability condition, highlighting gaps and patterns
in the evidence-base. 6005 studies were identified and screened, of which 177
received a full-text assessment. Of these, 41 studies matched the inclusion criteria. By mapping
the available data and reports and systematically assessing their trustworthiness and
relevance, we highlight significant gaps in the available evidence base. Clear patterns
emerge that show a major data gap and lack of research on sexual abuse of children with
disabilities and an identifiable lack of methodological quality in many relevant studies. These
make the development of a concerted and targeted research effort to tackle the abuse of
children with disabilities in East Africa extremely difficult. This needs to be addressed
urgently if the abuse of children with disabilities is to be prioritised by the global health
community.