Knowledge, attitude and practice of healthcare providers who may come in contact with women who have experienced intimate partner violence: qualitative research
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American University of Armenia, Armenia
Publication date: 2023-04-27
Popul. Med. 2023;5(Supplement):A839
ABSTRACT
The most common form of violence that women experience is initiated by intimate partners. IPV includes physical and sexual violence, stalking and psychological aggression by a current or former intimate partner. A multi-country study conducted by WHO on reporting domestic violence shows that the prevalence of women who have experienced violence ranges from 15% to 59%, while the prevalence of women ever experiencing intimate partner violence ranges from 22% to 47%. IPV may require regular, repeated messages from physicians to convince battered women to end their involvement with their abusive partner. Although a number of surveys have discovered the burden of domestic violence in Armenia since 2007, Armenia still has gaps in statistics on domestic violence clarifying time trends due to the lack of a surveillance system for domestic violence. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of general practitioners, gynecologists/obstetricians and emergency department clinicians regarding intimate partner violence among their patients in Yerevan, Armenia. The study investigator conducted 3 in-depth interviews and 3 focus group discussions in policlinics and hospitals, where overall 17 healthcare providers participated. Directed content analysis was used to analyze the data. The study findings showed that Armenian healthcare providers are knowledgeable of domestic violence and its types. They can recognize violence through physical and non-physical signs; but because of the lack of practice, skills and knowledge on how to deal with victims, they are not able to manage those cases. A number of barriers and facilitators was identified, which either help or impede the healthcare provider to ask about violence and to support the victim. A new study should be conducted, which will be able to cover both rural and urban areas of Armenia. Healthcare specialists need to be trained in order to identify and deal with domestic violence, including Intimate Partner Violence.