title: Woman abuse. The role of nurse-midwives in assessment.
abstract: When health care providers do not assess routinely for abuse, it most likely is a result of the powerful social myths surrounding domestic violence and a lack of knowledge about incidence, prevalence, and the dynamics of abuse. This article examines commonly held myths as well as personal and social constraints that cause practitioners not to assess for abuse. Additionally, it presents guidelines for the assessment of individual women, as well as professional role development in the area of abuse of women and suggests that nurse-midwives are generally well positioned to assess their clients for the health problems of violence and abuse.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Massachusetts at Amherst 01003, USA.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ryan
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D011322:Primary Prevention; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires