You Are a Social Worker in a Hospital

You are a social worker in a hospital. You have been called down to the emergency room because a 10-year-old boy has been brought in by ambulance from his school. The boy has asthma and began to have significant difficulty breathing while at school. When staff call the boy's primary care pediatrician, they learn the boy has not attended the last four appointments that have been scheduled for him. This could be an example of ___________________, and you should complete a comprehensive psychosocial assessment to help determine the reason he has missed his medical appointments.

A) Medical neglect
B) Risk of harm
C) Medical child abuse
D) Physical abuse