Attitudes and practices of doctors toward domestic violence victims in South Africa.
Our study intended to ascertain doctors' attitudes and practices toward domestic violence in a sample of 402 doctors randomly chosen for a mail survey from a list of registered medical practitioners in South Africa. We found that the mean number of patients treated for domestic violence per month was 11.4 (SD = 13.4); for White doctors 15.8, African Black 6.2, and for Asian doctors 5.3. The high frequency of domestic violence detected in this sample seems to reflect national surveys on domestic violence. Most doctors believed that they should play a role in prevention and treatment, and their attitudes toward victims of domestic violence were generally sympathetic and supportive. Male doctors and long-serving practitioners tended to have more conservative views of the causes and attitudes of spousal assault and of the doctors' role in prevention. Only 9.7% of the doctors had received any training on domestic violence. Further research is needed to establish the prevalence of domestic violence in women presenting to medical practitioners and to investigate how the problem currently is being addressed.
Health Behaviour Research Unit, University of the North, Sovenga, South Africa. peltzerk@mweb.co.za
Karl
K
Peltzer
Teresa-Anne
TA
Mashego
Matlala
M
Mabeba
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology; D015984:Causality; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010819:Physician's Role; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011287:Prejudice; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013019:South Africa; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires