Vol.3, No.1, 1-11 (2013) Open Journal of Preventive Medicine http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojpm.2013.31001 Healthcare providers’ perceptions on screening for Intimate Partner Violence in healthcare: A qualitative study of four health centres in Uganda Stephen Lawoko 1,2* , Gloria K. Seruwagi 3 , Iryne Marunga 4 , Milton Mutto 4 , Emmanuel Ochola 5 , Geoffrey Oloya 6 , Joyce Piloya 7 , Muhamadi Lubega 8 1 Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; * Corresponding Author: Stephen.lawoko@ki.se 2 Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda 3 Victoria University, Kampala, Uganda 4 Pincer Group International, Kampala, Uganda 5 Lacor Hospital, Gulu, Uganda 6 Anaka Hospital, Gulu, Uganda 7 Gulu Referral Hospital, Gulu, Uganda 8 Iganga Hospital, Iganga, Uganda Received 20 September 2012; revised 25 October 2012; accepted 5 November 2012 ABSTRACT The current qualitative study explored the per- ceptions of healthcare providers on screening for Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in healthcare in Uganda, to develop a conceptual framework for factors likely to hinder/promote IPV screen- ing in the country. Using purposive sampling, the study enlisted 54 healthcare workers (doc- tors and nurses) from four hospitals (i.e. Gulu referral hospital, Iganga referral hospital, Lacor hospital, Anaka hospital) to participate in eight focus group discussions. Data was thematically analysed using Template Analysis. The study found support for an ecological framework suggesting a complex interaction of factors at the individual (e.g. poor skills in detection of IPV by health workers and unwillingness to disclose abuse by patients), organisational (e.g. under- staffing and lack of protocols for IPV screening) and societal (e.g. societal acceptance of abuse of women and poor policy on IPV management) levels as potential barriers to the practice of IPV screening in healthcare Uganda. These findings have important implications on further training of healthcare workers to adequately screen for IPV, re-organisation of the healthcare system so that it is fully-fledged to accommodate IPV scree- ning and improved collaboration between the health sector and other community advocates in IPV management. These initiatives should run concurrently with a concerted community sen- sitization effort aimed at modifying attitudes towards IPV among care providers and recipi- ents a like, as well as preparing the general population to will-fully disclose IPV to health- workers. Study limitations and implications for further research are discussed. Keywords: Intimate Partner Violence; Screening; Healthcare; Perceptions; Uganda 1. INTRODUCTION Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), defined as behaviors within an intimate relationship that cause physical, sex- ual or psychological harm, including acts of physical aggression, sexual coercion, psychological abuse and controlling behaviors [1], remains a global health prob- lem among women. Despite the inaction of laws and policies to manage Intimate Partner Violence in several countries, IPV prevalence remains alarmingly high glob- ally, with devastating short and long term consequences on women’s health. With small cross-country variations, prevalence of IPV ranging between 3% - 38% have been reported [1-3], and many of the victims exhibit health and behavioural complications manifest in severe physi- cal injuries, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal ideation, unhealthy feeding habits, substance abuse and alcoholism [1-8]. Furthermore, vic- tims of IPV in their reproductive age evidence termi- nated pregnancies, undesired pregnancies and child loss during infancy to a higher degree than peers in non-vio- lent intimate relationships [1,8,9]. Thus, IPV does not only impact on abused women’s health per se, but is also associated with a poor foetus prognosis and infant Copyright © 2013 SciRes. OPEN ACCESS