Integrative review of the literature on screening for gender-based violence during pregnancy: Barriers, facilitators, and tools.
Laura Andreu-Pejó, Ma Jesús Valero-Chillerón, Víctor Manuel González-Chordá and 2 others
PMID 35726481WHAT IT FOUND
In antenatal care, screening for gender-based violence is often hindered by lack of training, time, privacy, and referral pathways.
Tools exist, but no consensus instrument; use local protocols and safe private conversations.
Key findings
01Twenty-three articles were included, and findings were grouped into barriers and facilitators related to healthcare personnel, the health system, and women.
02Lack of training and knowledge was a major barrier, while training, guidelines, efficient tools, and technology were major facilitators.
03The included reviews named AAS, HITS, WAST, OAS, OVAT, STaT, CTQ-SF, and HARK; one identified HARK as the most robust instrument, and another recommended HITS, WAST, AAS, and HARK.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The search was limited to English articles published from January 2015 to December 2020, so relevant non-English or older work may be missing. The included studies were heterogeneous, including reviews and qualitative studies, so the findings describe barriers and facilitators rather than tested clinical effects. The authors state that the included studies had methodological limitations that may have influenced the results. No consensus screening tool for pregnant women was established, and many tools were not designed or validated for antenatal care. The authors say future research needs better quality controlled studies to confirm the efficacy of screening strategies.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this review as evidence that screening for gender-based violence during pregnancy reduces violence or improves health outcomes. It describes barriers, facilitators, and available tools, and the authors say future controlled studies are needed to confirm efficacy.