Dentist's ability to identify and act upon signs of domestic violence against women
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30979/BrazJDentEduc.v25.2450Keywords:
Violence Against Women, Domestic Violence, Education DentalAbstract
It is known that understanding the signs of domestic violence - a public health issue that continues to grow - is extremely important for healthcare professionals, especially dentists, who work with the part of the body most likely to be injured: the face. Despite the topic's relevance, many professionals are unaware of their legal responsibilities. Recently, Law no 10778/2003, amended by Law no 1393/2019, established the mandatory reporting by healthcare professionals to the police authorities in cases of suspected or confirmed domestic violence within 24 hours. The objective of this study was to assess the ability of dentists to identify signs of domestic violence and the actions taken when facing such situations. An online questionnaire consisting of 18 questions was administered to dentists registered with the São Paulo State Council of Dentistry, yielding 131 responses. The data collected showed that 92% of participants were unaware of Law no 13931/2019, 56.5% were uncertain about their ability to recognize signs of violence, and 3% stated they could not identify them. Among the 28.8% who reported having identified some sign of domestic violence, 47% took no action. The main barriers to reporting included fear of misinterpreting the signs (25.9%) and lack of knowledge about what procedures to follow (15.55%). It is concluded that the participants experienced difficulties when facing suspected cases of violence against women. Educational strategies should be incorporated into undergraduate and postgraduate curricula.
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