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Midwives' and obstetricians' perception of their role in the identification and management of family violence

Abstract:

Background Pregnant women are at risk of family violence. Pregnancy provides a window of opportunity for identification and management of abuse. Practitioners do not adequately identify family violence and abused women tend not to disclose it. This exploratory study aimed to investigate the opinions of midwives and obstetricians, regarding their role in identification and management of family violence. Method Focus groups and semi-structured interviews with midwives and obstetricians were conducted, recorded and analysed. Results Identification themes included concerns about privacy and confidentiality, the doctors’ lack of continuity of patient care, and the role of screening. Management themes included uncertainty regarding management and referral options, the impact of managing family violence on clinicians, and the need for debriefing. Conclusion Maternity health professionals in the locale studied have significant issues and difficulties in the identification and management of family violence. These need to be addressed in training programmes and guidelines to improve patient outcomes, and to provide support and safety for clinicians. Further research is required to achieve saturation of themes and explore identified issues, which can then be used to focus on interventions.

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abuse, family violence, midwife's role, obstetrician's role, pregnancy