215418 Preventing domestic violence among Hispanics in Miami-Dade County: Provider perceptions of needs and preferences

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Amanda Cummings, BA , School of Education, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL
Michelle Castro Fernandez, MSEd , School of Education, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL
Maria Becerra , Department of Human Services, Coordinated Victim Assistance Center, Miami, FL
Rosa Gonzalez-Guarda, PhD, MPH, RN, CPH , School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL
Etiony Aldarondo, PhD , School of Education, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL
Ivon Mesa, MPA , Department of Human Services, Coordinated Victim Assistance Center, Miami, FL
Service providers play an invaluable role in aiding victims of domestic violence through the navigation of available treatment services and making sure the victims' rights are asserted. However, the cultural-specific needs of Hispanics may differ from the resources traditionally available, thus it is crucial for service providers to have thorough knowledge of the needs of the Hispanic community. Focus groups will be conducted with domestic violence service providers from Miami-Dade County. Qualitative and quantitative data regarding the needs and preferences for domestic violence prevention programs targeting high-risk Hispanics in MDC will be collected. A total of three focus groups will be conducted between March and May of 2010 with 24 services providers. A semi-structured interview will guide the discussion and will include questions about community perceptions of domestic violence specifically in Hispanic sub-groups. Attention will be paid to the perceived needs and preferences of services. Field notes and audio recordings of the three focus groups will be taken, transcribed and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. At least two independent coders will work to analyze each transcript. Themes regarding perceived needs and preferences for receiving domestic violence services, as well as specific Hispanic sub-groups that are particularly high-risk will be identified and discussed. This study will identify perceived needs and preferences for domestic violence prevention among service providers for Hispanics. This information is valuable for creating culturally-specific interventions targeting this population. Specific recommendations will be made for working with Hispanics in Miami-Dade County who are at risk for experiencing domestic violence.

Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Diversity and culture
Public health or related nursing
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Identify perceived needs and preferences for domestic violence prevention among service providers for Hispanics.

Keywords: Domestic Violence, Community-Based Partnership

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a graduate student at the doctoral level doing research on issues of domestic violence in Miami-Dade County.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.