title: [Identification of victims of violence and torture: the practitioner's role].
abstract: Many asylum seekers and refugees arriving in Switzerland have been exposed to major trauma such as war, incarceration or torture. A growing number of Swiss doctors treat patients who are victims of violence and torture, and may need to draw up medical reports on sequelae of such trauma. These are often difficult to detect, as patients do not bring up the subject spontaneously. A request for a medical report offers an opportunity to recognize and explore the patient's past traumatic experiences and can be a first step in the therapeutic process. The experience gained in this field at the Travel and Migration Medicine Unit, Geneva, is reported in this article. Analysis of 82 cases treated between June 1991 and December 1993 documents the types of trauma alleged and illustrates the patients' complaints and the clinical signs observed.
authors.affiliation: Département de médecine communautaire, Belle-Idée, Hôpitaux universitaires de Genëve.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Subilia
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bertrand
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Loutan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D010819:Physician's Role; D012036:Refugees; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis; D014104:Torture; D014754:Violence; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis
vernacular_title: Identifier les victimes de violences et de torture: le rôle du praticien.