Health sector responses to intimate partner violence : a literature review
Date
2014-11
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AOSIS Publishing
Abstract
Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a common and serious public health concern,
particularly in South Africa, but it is not well managed in primary care.
Aim: This review aims to summarise the current state of knowledge regarding health
sector-based interventions for IPV, their integration into health systems and services and
the perspectives of service users and healthcare workers on IPV care, focusing on the South
African context.
Method: PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Google Scholar were searched between
January 2012 and May 2014. All types of study design were included, critically appraised
and summarised.
Results: Exposure to IPV leads to wide-ranging and serious health effects. There is sufficient
evidence that intervening in IPV in primary care can improve outcomes. Women who
have experienced IPV have described an appropriate response by healthcare providers to
be non-judgmental, understanding and empathetic. IPV interventions that are complex,
comprehensive and utilise systems-wide approaches have been most effective, but system- and
society-level barriers hamper implementation. Gender inequities should not be overlooked
when responding to IPV.
Conclusion: Further evaluations of health sector responses to IPV are needed, in order to assist
health services to determine the most appropriate models of care, how these can be integrated
into current systems and how they can be supported in managing IPV. The need for this research
should not prevent health services and healthcare providers from implementing IPV care, but
rather should guide the development of rigorous contextually-appropriate evaluations.
Description
CITATION: Rees, K., Zweigenthal, V. & Joyner, K. 2014. Health sector responses to intimate partner violence: A literature review. African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine, 6(1): 1-8. doi: 10.4102/phcfm.v6i1.712.
The original publication is available at http://www.phcfm.org
The original publication is available at http://www.phcfm.org
Keywords
Abused women -- Services for -- South Africa, Intimate partner violence -- South Africa, Abused women -- Medical care -- South Africa
Citation
Rees, K., Zweigenthal, V. & Joyner, K. 2014. Health sector responses to intimate partner violence: a literature review. African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine, 6(1): 1-8. doi: 10.4102/phcfm.v6i1.712