title: Talking matters: abused women's views on disclosure of partner abuse to the family doctor and its role in handling the abuse situation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to explore what women valued most in disclosing partner abuse to their doctor and whether disclosure played a role in handling their abuse situation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative method was used to understand abused women's views and experiences with disclosure to their family doctor. Thirty-six women were interviewed within 4 weeks after disclosure to their family doctor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most women went to see the doctor for some medical complaint, and only three women planned to disclose the abuse. Twenty-five women valued most their doctor's communicative approach with empathy or empowering and nine women valued most the instrumental approach. Eight women of the latter group wanted this combined with a communicative approach. After disclosure to the family doctor, a group of women (n=20) perceived a real change in their possibilities to handle their situation. They appeared to be in a position we named: 'in transition', a state in which they started or continued a process of change. Another group of women (n=13) appeared to be in a 'locked-up' position, a state without any prospect on change, feeling out of control and fearing the abuser. Three women reacted reserved towards change.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A communicative approach, providing empathy and empowerment, is important to women in disclosing partner abuse. More than half of the women perceived possibilities for a change.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Talking about abuse is an important step in a woman's process of change. Doctors should acknowledge the advantage of their position as a professional confidant and ask women about abuse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Women's Studies Medical Sciences, Radboud University Medical Centre Nijmegen, The Netherlands. s.lofowong@hag.umcn.nl
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lo Fo Wong
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wester
authors.forename: Saskia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mol
authors.forename: Renée
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Römkens
authors.forename: Door
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hezemans
authors.forename: Toine
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lagro-Janssen
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology*; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003142:Communication; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009426:Netherlands; D010819:Physician's Role / Q000523:psychology; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology; D011209:Power, Psychological; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012650:Self Disclosure; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires