Development of Trinidad and Tobago's first National Clinical and Policy Guidelines on Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Violence/Elaboracion de las primeras directrices politicas y clinicas nacionales sobre violencia de pareja y violencia sexual de Trinidad y Tobago/Elaboracao das primeiras diretrizes clinicas e orientacoes sobre politicas de ambito nacional para violencia por parceiro intimo e violencia sexual de Trinidad e Tobago

• Published in: Revista panamericana de salud pública 2024-08, Vol.48
• Main Authors: Lyons, Nyla, Baer, Britta, Sookhoo, Natasha, Sirjusingh, Adesh, Bridgelal-Nagassar, Roma, Allen, Caroline
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Subjects: Abused women; Evidence-based medicine; Family violence; Human rights; Medical policy; Sex crimes
• ISSN: 1020-4989
• DOI: 10.26633/RPSP.2024.72

This Special Report aims to outline the development process of the first National Clinical and Policy guidelines on Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Violence in Trinidad and Tobago and to support the implementation of quality standards for survivors. The study used an implementation science approach to identify key evidence-based practice recommendations from guidance documents on health care for women who are subjected to violence and from relevant national legislation, policy, and practices. The process engaged stakeholders in discussions on the appropriateness, implementation, and use of these recommendations in the context of local health care delivery. Multidisciplinary teams of frontline health workers were consulted in groups in each of the five Regional Health Authorities. Interviews were held with senior government stakeholders responsible for health policy and with representatives of four civil society agencies. Participants provided recommendations to integrate quality standards into routine practice. These were incorporated into the guidelines, which include human rights principles and pathways of care for identifying violence, providing psychosocial and clinical care, safety planning, referrals, care during emergencies, and prevention of intimate partner violence and sexual violence. The guidelines were approved by the Ministry of Health of Trinidad and Tobago on 15 August 2022. Training of trainers has been undertaken to support implementation. Keywords Violence against women; implementation science; clinical guidelines; intimate partner violence; sexual offenses; Caribbean region. El objetivo de este informe especial es describir el proceso de elaboracion de las primeras directrices politi cas y clinicas nacionales sobre violencia de pareja y violencia sexual en Trinidad y Tabago, asi como brindar apoyo para la aplicacion de normas de calidad dirigidas a las personas supervivientes. El estudio utilizo un enfoque de ciencia de implementacion para hallar recomendaciones practicas clave basadas en la evidencia a partir de documentos de orientacion sobre atencion de salud para mujeres victimas de violencia, asi como de las leyes, politicas y practicas nacionales pertinentes. El proceso involucro a las partes interesadas en las deliberaciones sobre la idoneidad, la puesta en practica y el uso de estas recomendaciones en el contexto de la prestacion de servicios de salud locales. Se realizaron consultas grupales a equipos multidisciplinarios d