Approach to family violence by health care services: contributions of systemic thinking

Abstract

Family violence, considered an important public health problem, brings impacts on the trajectory of development and on health of those who experience it. The present work aims to characterize the phenomenon of family violence and to evaluate the applicability of the systemic theory to understand the family dynamics of violence. The historical and epistemological origins of the systemic thinking are briefly presented. The features of the services currently available to care for families whose relationships are permeated by violence are discussed, analyzing possibilities of professional performance guided by the systemic perspective. This article emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary intervention conducted in an integrated form including different institutions and considering the principle of integrality from SUS. The need for paying attention on elements that are beyond the user and his complaints, trying to include data from family and social context, is emphasized. The article shows the relevance of scientific production on this issue to provide grants for the development of assistance programs and professional specialization.