Conduct of dentists in the face of violence against women: an integrative review

Abstract

Introduction: Domestic violence, a constant problem in the lives of many women, has global dimensions. Social distancing measures and house confinement of victims with their aggressors for long periods in the scenario of the Covid-19 pandemic has further escalated this misfortune with which the health system has to deal. In this sense, it is important to talk about the multidisciplinary monitoring that is a duty of the State and about the injuries caused by abuse, especially on the face, which interfere with the visual identity, self-esteem and quality of life of the victims, causing physical and psychological disorders in the women. Objective: This study sought to identify the attitudes of dental surgeons towards violence against women through an integrative review. Methodology: A search of studies was conducted in the Virtual Health Library (VHL) and National Library of Medicine (PubMed) databases. The descriptors “Violence against women”, “Oral health”, “Self-image” and “Facial trauma” were used, combined with the Boolean operator “AND”. Full texts available in Portuguese in the VHL and English in PubMed, published in the last five years (2017-2022) were selected. Results: Fifty-one studies were retrieved and 13 were selected after application of inclusion and exclusion criteria. They were predominantly cross-sectional studies and showed that the most prominent theme was violence against women associated with self-esteem and self-image. The data found did not fully cover the question about the role of dental surgeons in the support for victims of domestic violence. Conclusions: As health professionals involved with daily management of cases of head and neck injuries, dental surgeons have a role in the care and support for victims of domestic violence and must be trained to deal with the necessary demands.