OBJECTIVES: To understand how heath care professionals approach family violence against children and teenagers. METHODS: This was a qualitative case study with 30 health care professionals. RESULTS: Health care professionals were concerned with the lack of successful family problems resolution. Measures used by health care professionals emphasized punitive actions instead of caring behaviors. The characteristics of the job did not allow of the health care professionals to express their feelings and reactions and to know how to successfully address family violence. Health care professionals' approaches to address violence with families who already experienced violence may also become violent acts against those families. CONCLUSION: Approaches used to address family violence against children and teenagers reflect a lack of integration among the several categories of health care professionals and health care services.
Domestic violence; Healthcare; Pediatric nursing; Family health; Public health