Violence against women identified by pharmaceutical professionals: a peculiar and strategic point of view

Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe situations of violence against women identified by pharmacists in the workplace. Mixed methods were used to explore an online survey answered by pharmacists registered in Minas Gerais. The questions addressed were: “Have you ever identified a situation of violence against women involving a patient in your pharmacy/workplace?”; “Describe a situation of violence against women that most caught your attention.” The frequency of identification of violence against women, types and associated factors were determined by multivariate analysis. The frequency of words used in reports was presented in a word cloud. Content analysis according to Bardin allowed the construction of narratives of situations  dentified by pharmacists. Of 455 respondents, 30.6% identified violence against women - emphasis on psychological (47.6%) and physical (22.8%) violence. Identifying violence was associated with being a woman/non-binary person (odds ratio = 1.86; p = 0.043) and widowed/divorced (odds ratio = 3.15; p = 0.017). In the reports, words such as “fear” and referring to the aggressor prevailed. Narratives illustrated situations identified by pharmacists, serving as a didactic and awareness-raising resource. Violence against women is present in the workplace of pharmacists, who witness its forms in a peculiar and strategic context for identification, reception, notification and mitigation.