ABSTRACT
Objective:
to understand the reasons for non-adherence to outpatient follow-up by women who experienced sexual violence.
Method:
qualitative study based on the Social Phenomenology of Alfred Schütz, carried out with 11 women who received medical care in a specialized service. For data collection, interviews with open-ended questions were carried out from October 2014 to April 2015. The resulting content was organized in categories and understood based on the framework adopted.
Results:
a lack of coordination among services to receive women was evidenced, as well as their suffering in having to report the assault several times, and embarrassment in the presence of healthcare professionals. Even without completing outpatient follow-up, women expect to overcome the violence suffered, giving new meanings to their lives, by returning to their studies and work.
Conclusion:
the perspective of these women shows important issues to be considered by healthcare professionals. These include the coordination among services of the healthcare network and improvement of care, with valuation of the intersubjective relationship between women and professionals, as a way to increase adherence to outpatient follow-up.
DESCRIPTORS:
Sex offenses; Rape; Nursing; Ambulatory care; Health care