Knowledge about gender violence and how to manage actual cases is crucial for health professionals to help break the circle of violence. The current study aimed to identify the levels of knowledge among medical students and residents concerning epidemiological, ethical, and legal aspects of gender violence, as well as their skills in identifying and managing cases. This was a quantitative, cross-sectional study using a questionnaire. From a total of 156 possible respondents, 104 (66.6%) participated. Of these, 77.8% (81) were medical students and 22.1% (23) residents. There was a predominance of male participants (61.7%, 58), ranging from 22 to 24 years of age (66.6%, 68). About one-third, or 31.0% (32) of the participants had received information on how to manage cases of gender violence, while 24.0% (25) had received classes on the theme; 63.1% (65) felt they were capable of helping a woman who had suffered such violence, but only 16.8% (17) had actually dealt with a case during their undergraduate training. The majority (89.1%, 90/101) believed that it is the physician's role to inquire about violence. Self-assessed levels of knowledge were as follows: low - 27%; medium - 27%; and high - 41%. Although most respondents were able to define gender violence and its variations, with 74% of correct answers (77/104), many were unfamiliar with its epidemiology and morbidity and mortality rates. Few respondents were identified who had the requisite skills to manage cases. Knowledge was directly related to experience.
Violence against women; Gender and health; Education, Medical
