Gender-Based Violence in Adolescent Dating from a Medical Perspective: A Qualitative Study of the Needs Felt in Primary Healthcare Centres

Abstract

Violence in adolescent dating has become a worrying public health problem. Research carried out on the issue has focused on identifying the causes of this phenomenon. However, difficulties have been found in designing and implementing effective prevention programs. In this context, primary healthcare physicians are one of the most important figures in screening for and detecting this phenomenon, since, in many cases, they are the first to have contact with the victims. The present study focuses on the qualitative analysis of a series of interviews carried out with 95 primary healthcare physicians in Extremadura, Spain. These interviews addressed various questions related to the theoretical and practical knowledge that the physicians have about the topic. The analysis of their responses reveals some of the strengths and weaknesses of the Spanish public health system, at the same time as pointing to what is needed to be able to improve comprehensive intervention for the victims, from the moment they arrive for their first consultation until they are treated and referred to different health specialists.

Suicidal Behaviour as an Emerging Factor in Female Victims of Gender-Based Violence within a Relationship: An Exploratory Study

“…It is a factor that is considered to be a predictor and, at the same time, a consequence of IPV, in addition to it being a risk factor for suicide. The results indicated a minimal incidence compared to studies that relate IPV with higher levels of consumption, thus agreeing with the opinion of primary care medical professionals who, from their position in detecting victimization, have pointed out that alcohol consumption can be a factor that aggravates the situation of abuse, but that it does not precipitate the phenomenon [ 60 ].…”

Analysis of Representations of the Aid That Public Psychological Support Points Provide to Adolescent Female Victims of Gender-Based Violence: Reformulation of Policies and Practices

“…These criticisms were also pointed out by the medical professionals from the primary care centres of the public health system. In this way, they highlight as a fundamental aspect of intervention the need to coordinate all the resources, both material and human, with the aim of providing a comprehensive, specialised, and multidisciplinary intervention for victims of adolescent gender-based violence [ 7 , 35 ].…”

“…The first phase reveals the characteristics that teen dating violence has in actual society and how factors such as sexism, moral disengagement, negative emotions, or the use of substances such as marijuana can affect victimisation [ 11 , 22 , 23 , 24 ]. The second phase reveals the strengths, weaknesses, and needs that primary care doctors present in the diagnosis and attention to the particularities of each woman, and also provides some solutions identified by the physicians themselves [ 7 ]. This last phase intends to offer complementary information that can be added to the rest of the results and conclusions revealed in the previous phases of the project.…”

“…They play a fundamental part in both the screening and referral of adolescent victim-survivors for their intervention process, as well as for the guidance and help to those victim-survivors’ families [ 6 ]. In this sense, various research studies have pointed out the strengths and weaknesses observed in Spain’s public health system with respect to the psychological care provided to victims of gender-based violence, as well as the needs detected [ 7 , 8 ].…”

Atención primaria, escenario clave para la detección de la violencia de género

“…Actualmente, hay un aumento de casos de VG en las parejas adolescentes y se ha dado la aparición de un nuevo tipo de violencia que sería toda aquella perpetuada mediante Internet y las redes sociales. Una vez más, la atención primaria se encuentra en una posición privilegiada para intentar mejorar la detección y prevención de víctimas de VG, pero nos encontramos también con una falta de preparación y una inseguridad por parte de los profesionales 4 . Además, los jóvenes y adolescentes suelen acudir a las consultas con menor frecuencia y acompañados por sus progenitores, dificultando así la creación de un espacio cómodo y de confidencialidad con los pacientes.…”