The inclusion of violence in the health agenda: historical trajectory

Abstract

In this article, I seek to provide a systematic record of the historical trajectory of the inclusion of accidents and violence as a legitimate issue of the health area. It will be shown that the process is not concluded, and that it is going on under the pressure of actors and by force of the circumstances. In the beginning, the issue finds a restricted space in the health agenda through the concepts "accidents, injuries and traumas". Since the second half of the 20th century, the rights of different social subjects are incorporated, ranging from observation and notification of violent acts against children, women, the elderly, to the discussion of social violence in its broadest sense, affecting the health of populations. In Brazil, this doubtlessly slow and intermittent process shows some attempts and a pioneer action of the Ministry of Health, carried out in cooperation with and under pressure of social, academic and professional movements: a diagnosis of morbidity and mortality from all kinds of violence, documenting a national policy towards reduction of accidents and violence on national level.

Domestic violence and the role of the dentist from the public health perspective: a review of scientific literature

“…In agreement with these ideas stands out the transformation of society as a possibility derived from the completion of professional awareness, which generate notifications, which directly affect the formulation of public policies (1).…”

“…From the 1980s, the issue of violence has been included on the agenda of debates about health and policy in the Western society (1), being consolidated in mid-1990 in Brazil, when the OPAS (Pan American Health Organization) and WHO (World Health Organization) began to discuss it and define it(1,2).…”

“…It is characterized as a public health problem, since it affects the physical and mental health of the individual (1,4) .…”

Policies on Women's Health Care: Challenges and Realities

“…Dentre as conclusões deste encontro, destacou-se a constatação de que, devido ao grande número de vítimas e à magnitude das seqüelas físicas e psicológicas, a violência adquiriu um caráter endêmico e se tornou uma responsabilidade da Saúde Pública, uma vez que cabe a este setor o atendimento de urgência, tratamento e reabilitação das vítimas. A partir de então, atos como suicídios, homicídios e acidentes fatais deixaram de integrar a categoria de "causas externas" da Classificação Internacional de Doenças (CID) para constituir uma categoria própria (Minayo, 2006). Neste processo, foram também realizados diversos estudos multicêntricos sobre a temática.…”

Mortalidade por causas externas em idosos em Minas Gerais, Brasil

“…Deve-se considerar, todavia, que existe um crescimento das mor tes violentas, provavelmente, reflexo dos problemas urbanos contemporâneos, o que tem motivado estudos, com importância crescente no cenário nacional e internacional. 9,10 Nesse sentido, descrever características da população idosa, como o perfil de mortalidade e os seus aspectos mais importantes, é tarefa imprescindível. Para cada região, é fundamental que as condições de saúde, adoecimento e morte da população sejam bem conhecidas e subsidiem ações de proteção à vida.…”