Table 1 Content of questionnaire items grouped under 7 categories

1

Knowledge on definition of IPV

Content: This part consist of 42 statements grouped under four main titles (sexual, physical, emotional and economic violence) and respondents were asked to evaluate the degree of violence for each of these items,

Question format: Statements rated on a Likert scale (1 = not violence through, 5 = severe violence)

Scoring: For every group of statements under each title, mean scores calculated. Higher scores for definition of IPV indicated that these statements were considered as more severe violence. Low scores showed that the respondents were to perceive the statements lesslikely as violence.

Cronbach's alfa = 0,960

2

Knowledge on clinical findings of IPV

Content: Following a self evaluation question on their knowledge on clinical findings of IPV, a list of health conditions under 4 main categories: chronic conditions (n = 6), acute conditions (n = 12), psychiatric diseases (n = 8), reproductive health(n = 8) adopted from Heise et al. was prepared

Question format: True, false, don't know questions

Scoring: Each correct answer was scored as one point. The maximum score the respondents would take was the total item number of each category (eg. for acute conditions it was 12). The respondents score for each category was then converted to a ten point scale scoring by multiplying the original score by ten and dividing it by the maximum score of that category (eg. if the respondent achieved 6 points from the acute conditions category it was converted to 5 in the ten point scale.) The mean scores of each category were calculated by this way.

Cronbach's alfa = 0,924

3

Knowledge on legal aspects of IPV

Content: Following a self evaluation question on their knowledge on legal aspects of IPV seven statements about legal responsibilities and important headings on reporting procedure was prepared.

Question format: True, false, don't know questions

Scoring: Each correct answer was scored as one point. Mean score was calculated.

Cronbach's alfa = 0,703

4

Attitudes towards IPV

Content: 14 statements were prepared about justifications of physical violence that the respondents found acceptable.

Question format: Statements rated on a Likert scale (1 = disagree, 3 = agree)

Scoring: "partially agree" answers were categorized as "agree" in analyses.

Cronbach's alfa = 0,905

5

Knowledge about IPV victims and abusers

Content: Evaluations on seven statements about the general characteristics of victims and abusers were asked.

Question format: Statements rated on a Likert scale (1 = disagree, 3 = agree)

Scoring: Data given as percentages

Cronbach's alfa = 0,653

6

Professional and personal experiences

Content: Frequency of dealing with IPV patients, screening frequency (n = 4), personal experience on having IPV cases in their families were asked.

Question format: Yes/no questions and frequency of screening rated on a Likert scale (1 = every time, 5 = never)

Scoring: Data given as percentages

7

Training on IPV

Content: Questions on educational background in terms of graduate and in service training on IPV were asked. (n = 5)

Question format: Yes/no questions and multiple choice questions.

Scoring: Data given as percentages