A scoping review of healthcare professionals' views on intimate partner violence in the Middle East and North Africa

Objectives

This scoping review aims to survey healthcare providers (HCPs) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) about their knowledge, attitudes, and barriers to working with women who have experienced Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). This review aims to map the breadth of available peer-reviewed literature that may inform future educational training programs.

Design

Scoping review.

Data Sources

The scoping review included studies up to December 2023 from PUBMED, Medline, COCHRANE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Arabic medical journals. 

Eligibility Criteria

Selected articles were restricted to those carried out in the MENA region, available in full-text, and with no date restrictions. Data Extraction and Synthesis Data was extracted from all studies to include research location, year of publication, type of journal, methodology, design, participants, knowledge, attitudes, and barriers. By charting the information into a table, the data was analysed using frequency and counts and descriptive content analysis. 

Results

Of the 1066 articles reviewed, 29 eligible studies were included in this scoping review. 27% of the articles reported HCPs’ lack of knowledge about IPV protocols. The dominant attitude reported was a preference to treat the presenting health complaint and avoid discussing IPV. Finally, 30% of articles reported HCPs’ lack of training as the main barrier.

Conclusion

Our paper concluded that there is a lack of research in understanding the knowledge, attitudes, and barriers surrounding HCPs in the MENA region and IPV. This scoping review highlights the need for further research, informing interventions, and training for HCPs in the region.