Evaluation of the Attitude and Behavior of Women Healthcare Professionals Regarding Violence Against Women in a Training and Research Hospital
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the attitudes and behaviors of women healthcare professionals working in Ordu University Training and Research Hospital towards violence against women.
Method: This study was conducted in Ordu University Training and Research Hospital between 01.10.2020-01.07.2021. The study was carried out with women healthcare professionals. Voluntary consent forms were signed by 387 women healthcare professionals who agreed to participate in the study. Participants were asked to answer the sociodemographic data form and the Attitude Scale towards Violence Against Women.
Results: Most participants were aged 25 to 44, with an average age of 32.1 ± 6.7 years. It was determined that 1.5% of the participants were married in an arranged marriage, and 2.43% were in consanguineous marriages. Except for having children, the participants' age, marital status, the way of deciding to marry, consanguineous marriage status, the number of marriages, and duration of marriage, there was no statistically significant difference(P>0.05). It has been determined that 28.16% of the participants have been subjected to violence before. When the type of violence that the participants had been subjected to was examined, it was determined that 30.13% were exposed to physical violence, 67.12% to emotional violence, and 2.73% to economic violence. It was observed that as the education level of the participants and their spouses increased, a negative attitude towards violence was observed. It was observed that the working position within the institution also affected the attitude score, and the attitude score of the medical secretary and cleaning staff was determined to be lower.
Conclusion: Education level, marital status, previous witnessing or subject to violence seem to play an essential role in the prevalence of violence against women and an individual's attitude towards violence. In this case, it was understood that healthcare professionals, whose education level is above the societal average, do not know precisely what to do against violence. To prevent violence
and prevent health problems that may be caused by violence, it would be beneficial to revise training programs for healthcare professionals and increase in-service training.
Keywords
Violence against women, Healthcare professionals, Attitude, Gender
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