Are clinicians being prepared to care for abused women? A survey of health professional education in Ontario, Canada.
BACKGROUND
The current project undertook a province-wide survey and environmental scan of educational opportunities available to future health care providers on the topic of intimate partner violence (IPV) against women.


METHODS
A team of experts identified university and college programs in Ontario, Canada as potential providers of IPV education to students in health care professions at the undergraduate and post-graduate levels. A telephone survey with contacts representing these programs was conducted between October 2005 and March 2006. The survey asked whether IPV-specific education was provided to learners, and if so, how and by whom.


RESULTS
In total, 222 eligible programs in dentistry, medicine, nursing and other allied health professions were surveyed, and 95% (212/222) of programs responded. Of these, 57% reported offering some form of IPV-specific education, with undergraduate nursing (83%) and allied health (82%) programs having the highest rates. Fewer than half of undergraduate medical (43%) and dentistry (46%) programs offered IPV content. Postgraduate programs ranged from no IPV content provision (dentistry) to 41% offering content (nursing).


CONCLUSIONS
Significant variability exists across program areas regarding the methods for IPV education, its delivery and evaluation. The results of this project highlight that expectations for an active and consistent response by health care professionals to women experiencing the effects of violence may not match the realities of professional preparation.
Wathen
C Nadine
CN
Faculty of Information & Media Studies, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. nwathen@uwo.ca
Tanaka
Masako
M
Catallo
Cristina
C
Lebner
Adrianne C
AC
Friedman
M Kinneret
MK
Hanson
Mark D
MD
Freeman
Clare
C
Jack
Susan M
SM
Jamieson
Ellen
E
Macmillan
Harriet L
HL
D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D003479:Curriculum; D003625:Data Collection; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000592:standards*; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000592:standards*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D009864:Ontario; D013179:Spouse Abuse