Support for emergency department screening for intimate partner violence depends on perceived risk.
Emergency department (ED) screening for intimate partner violence (IPV) faces logistic difficulties and has uncertain efficacy. We surveyed 146 ED visitors and 108 ED care providers to compare their support for ED IPV screening in three hypothetical scenarios of varying IPV risk. Visitor support for screening was 5 times higher for the high-risk (86%) than for the low-risk (17%) scenario. Providers showed significantly more support for the need for ED IPV screening than visitors. Controlling for confounding by gender, race, experience with IPV, hospital, and marital status did not affect comparisons between groups. These responses indicate greater support for IPV screening in the ED for high-risk than for low-risk cases, particularly among visitors.
Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 110 S. Paca St., 6th Floor, Suite 200, Baltimore, 21201, USA. mwitt001@umaryland.edu
Michael D
MD
Witting
Jon P
JP
Furuno
Jon Mark
JM
Hirshon
Scott D
SD
Krugman
André R S
AR
Périssé
Rhona
R
Limcangco
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000458:organization & administration; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012938:Social Perception; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States