Emergency department response to battered women in Massachusetts.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of written protocols for response to battered women and the perceived incidence of such cases in the emergency department and to examine general issues of responsiveness to this patient population.


METHODS
Questionnaires were sent to all 90 EDs in Massachusetts in 1991, and a response rate of 79% was obtained.


METHODS
ED directors (75% of respondents).


METHODS
Self-reported response to written survey.


RESULTS
Fourteen EDs (20%) reported having a written protocol in use. 58% of the EDs estimated that they see five or fewer battered women each month. Half of respondents estimated that 2% or less of adult female trauma stems from battering. Few differences were found between EDs with and without protocols.


CONCLUSIONS
In 1991, prior to several initiatives on domestic violence in the health care sector, written protocols for response to battered women were rare. The majority of EDs perceived battering as an infrequent cause of adult female trauma, contrary to prior research findings.
Isaac
N E
NE
Injury Control Center, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.
Sanchez
R L
RL
D002985:Clinical Protocols; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000209:etiology