Evaluating the expose to domestic violence in health workers working in the health district area of Konak

Objectives:To determine prevalence of domestic violence(DV) among healthworkers working in primary care settings in Konak and identify risk factors.Methods:In cross-sectional study,a structured questionnaire was conductedto personnel.Outputs wereprevalence of DV and demographic informations ofrespondents? and perpetrators?,DV type,acceptance and legitimization ofDV,strategies against DV,reasons of consent to DV.Data was evaluated via SPSS-v.10.0 and EpiInfo-2002.Results: Overall response rate was 48.6%(n= 392).Mean age was 37.4±6.Nosignificant difference was found between genders for exposure to DV.Prevalenceof DV were 23.6%,14.6%,23.6% for last year, before last year and anytime of life,and5.3%,19.2%,11.6%,2.5% and 4.0%.for physical,verbal,emotional,sexual andeconomical violence consequently.Physical violence decreases byeducation,household income and age.Increased number of children,lack of controlfor arrangement in marriage and family budget and frequency of arguments infamily did indicate an increase in physical,verbal,economic violences.76.0% ofthose who experienced DV did not legitimize DV and 50.5% of them didn?t believe itwould end.Those believing that perpetrator had a `right? for violence were 5.2 timesmore exposed to DV than those not.Exposure to DV continued in 93.3% of thoseexposed to violence during last year.55.9% of respondents subjected to DVremained silent,44.0% gave no response and 41.7% of them reacted in the sameway with the perpetrator.Hope for ?it would change?(39.5%) and fear of isolationfrom children(34.2%) were reasons of consent.In 58.3% of people adherented to DVwere also exposed to DV.Adherence to DV among exposed men and women are11.0 and 3.6 times more than unexposed.Perpetrators were partners(82.5%) andmothers(14.3%) of respondents.Conclusions:Health workers were also exposed DV and victims of DV werewithout a difference in gender and ability of breaking the cycle of violence.Key words:Primary care setting,health workers,domesticviolence,gender,perpetrator