Våldsutsatta kvinnors erfarenhet av vårdpersonalens bemötande inom hälso- och sjukvården : En litteraturöversikt

Sammanfattning: Introduction Violence against women is one of the major social problems of our time and a violation of women's human rights. Globally, it is estimated that one out of three women are exposed to some type of violence. Extensive, consequential health problems lead women subjected to violence to seek medical treatment more frequently than women who are not subjected to violence.   Aim The aim was to describe abused women's experiences of the healthcare providers’ encounter in contact with the health and medical services. Method General literature study with an inductive approach and descriptive design. Result The women were reluctant to start conversations about violence on their own initiative, why healthcare providers became a crucial actor in violence disclosure and could, in some cases, be the only chance in identifying violence. Several women had never been asked about violence, instead they described negative experiences of medical services where healthcare providers had acted in a manner which left them feeling humiliated and insulted. A minority of the women experienced that the disclosure of violence had led to better medical care and that the healthcare providers subsequently were also able to support the women through following vulnerable medical procedures. Healthcare providers who showed understanding and empathy could contribute to a comfortable and trusting experience. The women preferred to speak to healthcare providers of their own sex, particularly nurses and midwives. Healthcare providers’ validation and terminological explanations of abuse and violence were also important to help women disclose violence. Conclusion This literature study demonstrates substantial challenges in healthcare services’ response to the patient group of women subjected to violence, in a person-centered manner.The healthcare provider plays an important role in the response of these women. More knowledge and competence is required to develop the healthcare’s response to women subjected to violence.