Violência doméstica e mudança de crenças: intervenção com profissionais da atenção primária à saúde

Abstract

This research was focused on investigating the Primary Health Care providers' beliefs and attitudes towards domestic violence issues, before and after the intervention methodology, checking possible changes. The research involved 65 professionals who responded a self-administered, pre-formatted and anonymous questionnaire. In order to examine possible changes that resulted from this type of intervention, the instrument was administered before and after a conceptual training on domestic violence. Data was analyzed using SPSS, McNemar test of significance. The results from the proposed intervention showed some significant changes in the Primary Health Care providers' beliefs as to how to deal with victims of domestic violence, as well as in the role the Primary Health Care provider plays when detecting patients with domestic violencerelated problems, and in the providers' relation to the professional standards, health risks and counseling skills used to diminish or stop it. The data did not indicate changes in the level of confidence that providers have in their ability to deal with the issue.