Gender-based violence: a five-country, cross-sectional survey of health and social care students’ experience, knowledge and confidence in dealing with the issue

Abstract

Health and social care professionals are well placed to identify and respond to those affected by gender-based violence; yet students across a range of health disciplines describe a lack of knowledge, preparation and confidence in dealing with the issue. Our study aimed to explore health and social care students’ perceptions of their own knowledge and confidence on the subject of gender-based violence, recollections of gender-based violence learning opportunities through university and clinical placements, and opinions about the content of future e-learning curricula on the subject. We designed and implemented a multinational, cross-sectional survey across six universities from five countries: Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand and Scotland. Responses were obtained from 377 students across seven health and social care disciplines. Principally, the study found that students were underprepared in their professional programmes in terms of dealing with gender-based violence. Many students had witnessed or heard about cases of gender-based violence on clinical placement, but reported feeling generally unconfident in dealing with the issue. Regarding future e-learning, students indicated that content should be inclusive and relate directly to clinical practice. We argue that there is a universal need for health care education programmes to include the issue of gender-based violence in curricula.<br /><br />Key messages<ul><li>Future generations of health and social care professionals are being insufficiently prepared to deal with gender-based violence.</li><br /><li>Students indicated that they would like gender-based violence learning to be practice-focused, patient-focused, inclusive and intersectional.</li><br /><li>Higher education institutions globally need to embed the subject of gender-based violence in health and social care curricula so that future professionals are sufficiently prepared to address this pervasive issue.</li></ul>

Healthcare Students’ and Educators’ Views on the Integration of Gender-Based Violence Education into the Curriculum: a Qualitative Inquiry in Three Countries

“…Students and academic staff across all three countries indicated that GBV had been insufficiently or incompletely addressed within their curricula. This finding mirrors conclusions from our previous research (Bradbury-Jones et al, 2021) and other international studies (Bradbury-Jones & Broadhurst, 2015;Doran & Hutchinson, 2017;Valpied et al, 2017). All participants agreed that GBV ought to have a place on their curricula, although some suggested that the subject has greater importance for certain professional groups.…”

“…This article reports on the final part of a larger funded study, consisting of three prior phases: (1) a systematic review of effective educational strategies in GBV (Sammut et al, 2021); (2) a cross-sectional survey exploring HSC students' knowledge and confidence in addressing GBV (Bradbury-Jones et al, 2021); and (3) development of a GBV e-learning resource (available at: https:// www. notti ngham.…”

“…Unfortunately however, in a minority of cases, studies have attributed reluctance to professionals' endorsement of negative stereotypes surrounding GBV (Taylor et al, 2013). Additionally, evidence continues to highlight inconsistencies in the quantity and quality of GBV education across undergraduate HSC curricula (Bradbury-Jones et al, 2021). As such, many professionals are entering their careers unequipped with the skills required to identify and respond to GBV.…”

FGM Medical Education at a United Kingdom Medical School: students’ perspectives (FGMed Study)

“…While this is a valid viewpoint, it does imply that perhaps there is room for more teaching on a wide variety of safeguarding issues, one of them being FGM. This is supported by an international cross-sectional study on gender-based violence education 13 which found that health care students were underprepared and lacked con dence in dealing with these issues in practice. It concluded that there is a need for healthcare education programmes to include more clinical teaching on these topic areas.…”

Critical-emancipatory educational intervention through games to face gender violence

“…In this regard, a survey of 377 students in the field of health and social assistance from five countries highlighted that most participants had not received guidance on an adequate approach to gender-based violence in university education, therefore, they did not feel prepared to intervene in situations. They also valued practical-based learning when compared to strictly theoretical discussions ( 33 ) .…”