"Ignoring the violence": healthcare policy recommendations for the prevention of community violence re-victimization.
Medical centers see 1.4 million serious violent crime victims every year and are the most likely places to intervene for preventing and reducing violence. However, very few medical centers evaluate patients beyond physical conditions, and very few complete toxicology or psychosocial screens to evaluate for substance abuse and psychological conditions as a result of trauma. Unfortunately, victims of violence are given medical assistance and discharged without recognition of the serious after effects of trauma both for themselves and their families. This manuscript discusses the chronicity and consequences of violent victimization, related health care policies that impede violence prevention and victim intervention, and concludes with a proposal for improved policies in the health care arena.
Rapp-Paglicci
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University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Social Work, 89154, USA. irapp@ccmail.nevada.edu
Dulmus
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D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D010359:Patient Readmission; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data