[Detection of violence against women in the family doctor clinic].
OBJECTIVE
To find out the magnitude of violence against female partners among patients who visit their family doctor. To study frequency and acceptance of its investigation by the family doctor and to assess the effectiveness of a screening question on abuse.


METHODS
Descriptive, cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Primary care, 4 samples from 2 urban health centres in Jaén, Spain.


METHODS
Who participated 170 women randomly selected from the female consulting population.


METHODS
Interviews by means of the Bradley modified test and the anxiety and depression Goldberg scales. Perceived health, frequency of detection of domestic violence, by the family doctor, and female opinions were also studied.


RESULTS
During the last year, abuse against women was detected in 22.9% of the female population consulting their family doctor (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 16.6-29.2). Abused women had a worse perception of health (odds ratio [OR] =4.2; 95% CI, 1.02-17.5) and a higher probability of depression (OR=4.7; 95% CI, 1.8-12.5) independently from the rest of variables. The question "How are the things going with your partner?" as a screening of abuse does obtain a positive probability quotient of 6.23 (95% CI, 3.6-10.9), a specificity of 89% and a negative predictive value of 90%. Of those interviewed, 96.5% would not mind if their family doctor approached the couple's relationships, a situation that occurs in 24.7% of cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Some degree of abuse was detected in almost a quarter of women who consult their family doctor. Family doctors do not usually ask about family and partner relationships and environment, although for almost all women it is well appreciated and the item has an increased likelihood ratio and high negative predictive value in detecting abuse.
García Torrecillas
Juan Manuel
JM
Medicina de Familia. Unidad Docente de Medicina de Familia y Comunitaria de Jaén. Jaén. España. Medicina de Familia. Complejo Hospitalario Torrecárdenas. Almería. España. jmanuel100a@telefonica.net
Torío Durántez
Jesús
J
Lea Pereira
María Carmen
MC
García Tirado
María Carmen
MC
Aguilera Tejero
Ramiro
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018585:Battered Women; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain; D013179:Spouse Abuse