Domestic violence against women: representations of health professionals

Photovoice and dramatisation in the classroom with nursing students: An exploratory study to raise awareness of the cultural and social dimensions of violence against women

BACKGROUND

Active teaching methodologies that incorporate students' feelings and beliefs and encourage them to reflect upon and critically think about certain variables, are extremely useful to teachers.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the potential of dramatisation and photovoice technologies as instruments to stimulate nursing students to reflect upon violence against women in society, thereby encouraging critical thinking and debate in a participatory way.

DESIGN

This was a qualitative, descriptive-exploratory study which used the participatory action research approach.

PARTICIPANTS

Forty fourth-year students enrolled in the Nursing undergraduate degree at the University of Alicante in Spain.

METHODS

The photovoice technique was used to record images from a dramatisation which served as the basis to represent scenes from the everyday life of people who are subjected to physical and psychological violence. These photographs were then debated and analysed by the students. We used MAXQDA® software and the guidelines published by Giorgi to aid our data analysis.

RESULTS

Four main categories emerged; the 'violence against women'. The 'victim' and 'abuser' categories considered 'emotions', 'feelings', 'attitudes', and 'behaviours'. The fourth category that emerged was 'social viewpoints'.

CONCLUSIONS

Photovoice-dramatisation raised awareness among the students and allowed them to reflect upon these behaviours and to critically think about the cultural and social dimensions of violence against women. The use of both of these techniques in practical and theoretical contexts to train students can help to nurture social commitment when faced with this problem.

Intimate partner violence against women: Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis (OPD-2)

INTRODUCTION

Intimate partner violence against women is one of the most common forms of violence. Different research fields are trying to understand the cycle of violence, such as the psychological field, to understand how these women's relational patterns and intrapsychic conflict function in the cycle of violence.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the operationalized psychodynamic diagnosis of women victims of domestic violence, exploring the severity and experience of violence, structural functions, dysfunctional interpersonal patterns, and intrapsychic conflicts.

METHOD

We conducted a cross-sectional quantitative study using the OPD-2 Clinical Interviews, which were recorded and transcribed. The sample was composed by 56 women victims of domestic violence, mean age 30.07 (SD = ±9.65). Reliability was satisfactory for judges interviews(k>0,6).

RESULTS

According to the OPD-2 evaluation, we found that the severity of the violence was associated with the intensity of women's subjective suffering. In the relational pattern, they stay in the relationship, leaving themselves vulnerable; perceive the partner as controlling, aggressive, offensive, and fear abandonment. As a defensive mechanism to relational discomfort and suffering victims anticipate the aggressor's desire, resulting in submissive behavior. The main psychic conflict was the "need for care versus self-sufficiency" (78.6%). And medium was the predominant structure level, in which they presented insecure internal objects, presenting difficulties in emotional regulation and perceiving reality in a distorted way. Hence, they do not recognize their limitations and needs. We found that 78.6% of the cases had some psychiatric disorder: MDD, PTSD.

CONCLUSION

This study provides empirical evidence on clinical observations on the psychological functioning of this population and the issues that make up the maintenance of domestic violence against women. The understanding of internalized patterns, structural functions, and motivational tensions are fundamental for the prevention of re-victimization and improving coping mechanisms, as well as promoting greater adherence to treatment.

Overall Maternal Morbidity during Pregnancy Identified with the WHO-WOICE Instrument

Objective

To evaluate the prevalence of nonsevere maternal morbidity (including overall health, domestic and sexual violence, functionality, and mental health) in women during antenatal care and further analyze factors associated with compromised mental functioning and clinical health by administration of the WHO's WOICE 2.0 instrument.

Method

A cross-sectional study was conducted at a referral center in Brazil with an interview and questionnaire administered to pregnant women at 28 weeks of gestation and beyond. Data collection and management were supported by REDCAP software. A descriptive analysis was performed, and a multiple regression analysis also investigated factors associated with impairment in mental conditions, functionality, and clinical health.

Results

533 women at a mean age of 28.9 years (±6.7) were included, and the majority had a partner (77.1%) and secondary education (67.7%). Exposure to violence occurred in 6.8%, and 12.7% reported substance use. Sexual satisfaction was reported by the vast majority (91.7%), although almost one-fifth were sexually abstinent. Overall, women reported very good and good health (72%), despite being told that they had a medical condition (66%). There was an overall rate of anxiety in 29.9%, depression in 39.5%, and impaired functioning in 20.4%. The perception of an abnormal clinical condition was the only factor independently associated with impaired functioning and mental health in the multiple regression model. Obesity was independently associated with clinical impairment.

Conclusion

During antenatal care, pregnant women in the study reported having a high rate of anxiety, depression, impaired functioning, and substance use. These issues can affect a woman's health and should be further addressed for specific interventions and improved quality of care.

ASPECTOS ÉTICOS E LEGAIS NO CUIDADO DE ENFERMAGEM ÀS VÍTIMAS DE VIOLÊNCIA DOMÉSTICA

RESUMO Objetivo: analisar o conhecimento de enfermeiras hospitalares sobre os aspectos éticos e legais no cuidado de enfermagem às vítimas de violência doméstica. Método: pesquisa qualitativa, realizada com 34 enfermeiras de dois hospitais do município do Rio Grande-RS. Os dados foram colhidos, entre maio e agosto de 2014, por meio de entrevista semiestruturada e analisados através do software Analyse Lexicale par Contexte d’un Ensemble de Segment de Texte, que agrupa os léxicos, com raízes semelhantes, formando as classes, conforme a função das palavras no texto. Resultados: a classe gerou duas subclasses: (des)conhecimento das enfermeiras acerca das competências legais; nela observou-se a confusão entre denúncia policial e notificação compulsória, e (des)conhecimento das enfermeiras acerca das competências éticas, em que mencionam a necessidade de sigilo, orientação e privacidade no processo de cuidar. A educação permanente empodera os profissionais refletindo na visibilidade da violência, no campo da saúde. Conclusão: atenção dos gestores das instituições, para capacitação dos profissionais é necessário. O conhecimento reificado, sobre o fenômeno, associado ao cuidado relacional, sinalizam para um cuidado de enfermagem humanizado e emancipatório às vítimas.