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Violence Against Women with Mental Illness and Social Norms and Beliefs: Nursing Professional Perspective

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Abstract

Violence against women is a priority public health issue globally and women with mental illness are at double disadvantage. While social norms and beliefs play a critical role in influencing violence among women, limited or no research is available from India. To explore nurses and nursing students’ views on social norms and beliefs that support Violence against women with mental illness. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was carried out among randomly selected registered nurses and nursing students (N = 209) using self-reported questionnaires. Majority of the participants confronted norms (76.7%) and situations that justify (67.7%) abuse among women with mental illness. Nurses reported more negative attitudes than nursing students with regard to norms and beliefs (t = − 2.714, p < 0.007) and justifiability of abuse (t = − 3.089, p < 0.002). The findings suggest suitable academic programs to extinguish the prevailing cultural beliefs that support abuse in women with mental illness.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the nurses and nursing students for their valuable contribution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Nursing, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Institute of National Importance, Bangalore, India

    Poreddi Vijayalakshmi

  2. Department of Nursing, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Institute of National Importance, Bangalore, India

    Sailaxmi Gandhi

  3. Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bangalore, India

    Somagattu Sai Nikhil Reddy

  4. Department of Bio-Statistics, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Institute of National Importance, Bangalore, India

    Marimuthu Palaniappan

  5. Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Institute of National Importance, Bangalore, India

    Suresh Badamath

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  1. Poreddi Vijayalakshmi
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Vijayalakshmi, P., Gandhi, S., Sai Nikhil Reddy, S. et al. Violence Against Women with Mental Illness and Social Norms and Beliefs: Nursing Professional Perspective. Community Ment Health J 57, 212–218 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-020-00635-2

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