[Knowledge of and opinions on violence against women among health professionals in specialized care]. / Conocimientos y opiniones de los profesionales de la salud de atención especializada acerca de la violencia de género.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge of gender violence among health workers/medical staff in specialized healthcare and their opinions on the subject. A further aim was to identify the organizational barriers perceived by these workers and their proposals to enhance the early detection of this phenomenon and care of victims. METHOD: We performed an observational, cross sectional study based on an anonymous survey of health workers/medical staff working in the pediatrics, obstetrics or emergency departments of two hospitals in health district 8 of Madrid. RESULTS: Overall, health professionals had average knowledge about gender violence. A total of 58.2% believed that physical abuse of women was associated with the lower social classes, while 72.8% believed that victims were uneducated women, housewives or foreigners; 67.6 % believed that aggressors were alcoholic, drug addicted or unemployed men. Almost all health professionals (97.7%) considered that gender violence against women was an important problem that usually went undetected. However, 66.7% did not include this phenomenon in the differential diagnosis of women with physical injuries. Notable among the organizational obstacles identified were workload, lack of training and information, and the absence of a protocol. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of gender violence among health professionals was average, with no significant differences between hospitals or among the three categories of staff surveyed. Stereotyped beliefs were found among health professionals who, nevertheless, believed they had an important role in detecting battered women. Reducing the organizational barriers detected could improve the care of these patients.

Conocimientos y opiniones de los profesionales de la salud de atención especializada acerca de la violencia de género / Knowledge of and opinions on violence against women among health professionals in specialized care

Objetivo. Evaluar el nivel de conocimientos y las opiniones del personal sanitario acerca de la violencia de género y conocer las barreras organizativas que aprecian, sus propuestas para mejorar la detección precoz y la atención a las víctimas. Método. Estudio transversal, observacional, descriptivo. Se empleó un cuestionario anónimo administrado a profesionales sanitarios de las unidades obstétricas, pediátricas y de urgencias de los 2 hospitales del área 8 de Madrid. Resultados. En la prueba de conocimientos las respuestas correctas alcanzaron, globalmente, un nivel medio. Para un 58,2% de profesionales los malos tratos a mujeres se asocian a clases sociales bajas; un 72,8% cree que la violencia la sufren mujeres sin estudios, amas de casa o extranjeras. Respecto al agresor, un 67,6% lo considera un varón bebedor, drogadicto o parado. El 97,7% de los profesionales cree que la violencia contra la mujer es un problema importante y que habitualmente pasa desapercibido, sin embargo el 66,7% no lo plantea como diagnóstico diferencial ante una paciente con lesiones físicas. Entre los problemas organizativos señalados destacan la presión asistencial, la falta de formación, información y de un protocolo de actuación. Conclusiones. Los profesionales muestran un nivel medio de conocimientos acerca del tema, sin que se encuentren diferencias significativas entre los 2 hospitales que participan en el estudio, ni entre las 3 categorías profesionales estudiadas. Hay creencias estereotipadas entre los profesionales, quienes, por otra parte, consideran que su labor es importante a la hora de detectar los casos de maltrato. Reducir las barreras organizativas detectadas podría mejorar la asistencia a estas pacientes

Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge of gender violence among health workers/medical staff in specialized healthcare and their opinions on the subject. A further aim was to identify the organizational barriers perceived by these workers and their proposals to enhance the early detection of this phenomenon and care of victims. Method. We performed an observational, cross sectional study based on an anonymous survey of health workers/medical staff working in the pediatrics, obstetrics or emergency departments of two hospitals in health district 8 of Madrid. Results. Overall, health professionals had average knowledge about gender violence. A total of 58.2% believed that physical abuse of women was associated with the lower social classes, while 72.8% believed that victims were uneducated women, housewives or foreigners; 67.6 % believed that aggressors were alcoholic, drug addicted or unemployed men. Almost all health professionals (97.7%) considered that gender violence against women was an important problem that usually went undetected. However, 66.7% did not include this phenomenon in the differential diagnosis of women with physical injuries. Notable among the organizational obstacles identified were workload, lack of training and information, and the absence of a protocol. Conclusions. Knowledge of gender violence among health professionals was average, with no significant differences between hospitals or among the three categories of staff surveyed. Stereotyped beliefs were found among health professionals who, nevertheless, believed they had an important role in detecting battered women. Reducing the organizational barriers detected could improve the care of these patients