Healthcare providers’ experiences screening for intimate partner violence among migrant and seasonal farmworking women: A phenomenological study

Background Migrant and seasonal farmworking (MSFW) women\r\npatients experience substantially more intimate partner violence (IPV)\r\nthan the general population, but few health-care providers screen\r\npatients for IPV. While researchers have examined screening practices\r\nin health-care settings, none have exclusively focused on MSFW\r\nwomen.\r\nObjective The aim of this phenomenological study was to explore\r\nthe experiences of health-care providers who have screened for and/\r\nor addressed IPV with MSFW women patients.\r\nDesign Researchers utilized descriptive phenomenology to capture\r\nthe lived experiences of these health-care providers. Data were analysed using Colaizzi’s seven-stage framework.\r\nSetting and participants Interviews were conducted with nine female\r\nparticipants – all of whom: (i) were clinically active health-care providers within the MSFW community, (ii) were bilingual in English and\r\nSpanish or had access to a translator, (iii) had treated MSFW patients\r\nwho had experienced IPV and (iv) were at least 18 years of age.\r\nResults Participants’ experiences were reflected in four emergent\r\nthemes: (i) provider-centered factors, (ii) patient-centered factors, (iii)\r\nclinic-centered factors and (iv) community-centered factors. Participants\r\ndescribed barriers to establish routine IPV assessment, decrease patient\r\nambivalence and increase on-site support and community resources.\r\nDiscussion and conclusions This study aimed to generate a greater\r\nunderstanding of the experiences of health-care providers with\r\nscreening for and addressing IPV with MSFW patients. Implications\r\nand recommendations for research, clinical practice and policy are\r\nprovided