Social representations of Primary Health Care users about violence: a gender study

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the structure and content of social representations about violence by primary health care users.

Method: Qualitative study based on the Theory of Social Representations, carried out in Rio Grande health units with 150 people between January and April 2019 by applying free evocations and interviews, which were treated by using software and contextual analysis, respectively.

Results: Violence against people, violence, physical violence, substance dependence, and robbery made up the representation in the central core. People represented violence as interpersonal, including intrafamily and urban. Women were related to domestic violence and the exercise of verbal violence, while men were more closely related to urban violence and the use of physical violence.

Final considerations: Obtaining the social representation of violence makes it possible to reflect on the subject in the primary health care scenario, contributing to the development of strategies and targeted actions.