Evaluating intimate partner violence.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the incidence, assessment, and management of intimate partner violence (IPV) from a cultural perspective emphasizing the values, strengths, and health care needs of African-American women.


METHODS
Review of the published scientific literature, U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics and the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) supplemented with hypothetical cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Violence is a social and public health emergency affecting over 10% of the population during their lives and 22% of women who are physically assaulted by an intimate. Roughly 3 million to 4.4 million women report being battered annually, although this is a low estimate. Neither gender nor age nor sexual orientation protects one from IPV. Violent crime causes 2.2 million known injuries with a huge cost in hospital days and other expenses.


CONCLUSIONS
Women often hesitate to report violence; health care professionals detect as few as 5% of battered women. Women suffer for months and years before accurate diagnosis. Clinicians need to be vigilant in case finding, education, prevention, and treatment. Cultural differences in values and beliefs, and behavioral norms influence evaluation, treatment, and referral.
Valente
Sharon M
SM
University of Southern California, USA. sharon.valente@med.va.gov
D001741:Black or African American; D018585:Battered Women / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D003376:Counseling; D003419:Crisis Intervention / Q000379:methods; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control