Recognising and responding to partner abuse: challenging the key facts.
Inter-partner violence is a serious public health problem for a minority of the population. Frequently the problem is hidden and goes undetected. Recognising this violence within the primary healthcare setting and responding appropriately are laudable aims, with significant health gains. However it is important that in raising professional and public awareness of the issue, the case is not over-stated. Too often figures such as a NZ$141 million annual cost of family violence to health are quoted and presented as 'fact' without critical appraisal. Family violence is an emotional topic, and challenge to prevailing viewpoints may be misconstrued as a denial of the problem. These are important issues, and I invite academic debate.
Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. f.goodyear-smith@auckland.ac.nz
Felicity
F
Goodyear-Smith
D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000523:psychology; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D011209:Power, Psychological; D015995:Prevalence; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018677:Tooth Injuries / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology