Crenças de gestores de saúde em relação à violência doméstica

Abstract

Understanding the processes involved in the inclusion of domestic violence on the agenda of the health sector is important for the formulation and implementation of policies and intervention projects. Therefore, this paper sought to investigate the beliefs of health managers on domestic violence. Two studies were conducted in the municipalities of a micro region of Minas Gerais, one with 16 municipal health managers and another with 19 municipal coordinators of the “Family Health Strategy”. Data was collected through semi structured individual interviews and processed through the content analysis. According to managers of both groups, alcohol consumption, illicit drug use, lack of structure and of family planning, lack of dialogue and the manner and pace of current life/day-by-day stress are the main factors leading to various types of domestic violence. Municipal coordinators of the “Family Health Strategy” also highlighted the low income factor. Besides these, managers of both groups highlighted other factors related to specific situations: how parents were raised and the culture of violence as a mean of education (domestic violence against children); adolescent rebelliousness and lack of parenting skills in order to deal with them (domestic violence against teenagers); lack of patience from family/caregivers and interest in taking care of the elderly only for the money (domestic violence against the elderly); betrayal and jealousy (intimate partner violence). The prevention of violence as one of the roles of the health sector was more highlighted in the group of municipal health managers. The difficulties for further intervention were highlighted as: victims do not report the violence, little community involvement, insufficient financial resources, poor intersectoral coordination and absence of a specific policy. The workload was further emphasized by the coordinators of the “Family Health Strategy”. Managers were concerned and sensitized about the issue of domestic violence, but the actions to prevent it are still sporadic. The results indicate the presence of the biomedical model permeating the health sector. It is concluded that the approach to domestic violence is presented as a challenge for the health sector. It is recommended a greater focus on this issue when training and continuing education of professionals as well as the formulation of a more specific policy.