Intimate partner violence and patient screening across medical specialties.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to compare rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) across different medical specialties and health care sites in one metropolitan area, describe demographic characteristics of women with abusive partners, characterize health care provider assessment of IPV, and describe patient characteristics associated with health care assessment for partner violence.


METHODS
Women (N = 2,465) completed written surveys about partner violence and health care screening for violence in the waiting rooms of five types of health care settings (obstetrician/gynecologist office, emergency department, primary care office, pediatrics, and addiction recovery) across eight different hospitals in the greater Boston area.


RESULTS
The overall survey response rate was 62%. The 12-month prevalence rate of IPV was 14%, with 37% disclosing lifetime prevalence. The highest rates of recent IPV were disclosed in the hospital-based addiction recovery unit (36%) and in emergency departments (17%). Adjusted demographic risk characteristics for IPV included age (younger than 24 years), low income, and unemployment. Health care providers were more likely to discuss IPV with low-income women than with middle- or high-income women but were no more likely to assess violence within the youngest age group. Among women who disclosed abuse to their health care provider, 50% reported receiving direct interventions or services as a result.


CONCLUSIONS
Using the same instrument and protocol, different rates of IPV and detection of IPV were found across medical departments, with the highest rates in emergency departments and an addiction recovery program. It is especially important for assessment of IPV to include young women who present to medical departments.
McCloskey
Laura A
LA
Harvard University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. lmcclosk@ssw.upenn.edu
Lichter
Erika
E
Ganz
Michael L
ML
Williams
Corrine M
CM
Gerber
Megan R
MR
Sege
Robert
R
Stair
Thomas
T
Herbert
Barbara
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001900:Boston / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008511:Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013038:Specialization; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology