Perceptions of help resources for victims of intimate partner violence.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) constitutes a major public health problem in the United States. This cross-sectional survey of 108 emergency department (ED) care providers and 146 ED visitors at three metropolitan EDs compared the beliefs of ED health care providers with those of community members about the relative benefits of the helpfulness of resources for IPV victims using hypothetical case scenarios. Although providers generally indicated that help resources were helpful in all scenarios, visitors were more discriminating, showing less support for resources in the lower-risk scenario. Regarding differences between groups, visitors selected police and attorneys more frequently than providers as a helpful resource, whereas providers selected shelters and counselors more frequently than visitors. Adjustment for previous experience with IPV did not change these results. Understanding the differences between health care providers' and community members' perceptions of resources for victims of IPV may improve the effectiveness of referral to IPV resources.
Krugman
Scott D
SD
University of Maryland, USA.
Witting
Michael D
MD
Furuno
Jon P
JP
Hirshon
Jon Mark
JM
Limcangco
Rhona
R
Périssé
André R S
AR
Rasch
Elizabeth K
EK
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D012938:Social Perception; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D016387:Women's Health