Helping or Heightening Vulnerability? Midwives as Arbiters of Risk for Women Experiencing Self-Directed Violence in Urban Sri Lanka

Bibliographic Data

ID4679768
AuthorsAlexis Palfreyman (0000-0001-9248-4142, London School of Economics and Political Science, corresponding author)
Year2019
Volume29
Issue10
Pages1383-1394
Publication date2019-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueQualitative Health Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1049-7323 • E-ISSN: 1552-7557
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/1049732318816672
PMID30541382
OpenAlexW2905455187
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited29

The response of midwives to women engaging in self-directed violence (SDV) may affect women's care and outcomes. The author explored midwives' understanding of SDV through semi-structured focus groups and in-depth interviews with 11 Public Health Midwives in urban Sri Lanka. Thematic analysis identified four key themes: (a) perceived dimensions of women's risk and vulnerability to SDV, (b) midwives as arbiters of risk, (c) representations of women engaging in SDV, and (d) midwives' perceived capacity to respond. Given their proximity to communities, trustworthiness as sites of disclosure, and respectability as women and guardians of ideal womanhood in Sri Lankan society, midwives occupy a powerful position in the health system through which to alleviate or reinforce women's risk to SDV. Yet, investment in developing their skills and role to respond to the growing phenomenon of SDV among women in Sri Lanka must consider the context within which midwives assess and select their responses

Focus group · Geography · Qualitative research · Socioeconomics · Sociology · Sri lanka · Thematic analysis · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Homelessness and Social Issues · Intimate Partner and Family Violence · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology