title: The feasibility of screening for violence in the pediatric emergency department.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Youth violence is a significant public health concern. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of violence screening tools in a pediatric emergency department (PED).
  
  
  METHODS
  Children between eight and 17 years presenting to the PED were prospectively enrolled. Two questionnaires were administered: Violence Prevention Emergency Tool (VPET) and Violence Exposure Scale for Children (VEX).
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred children were enrolled: mean age was 12.9 years (SD 2.8), 42% girls, 48% Hispanic, and 13% African-American. Mean time to complete VPET was 9.0 minutes and VEX 4.9 minutes. Ease of understanding between VPET and VEX were 74% vs 92% (interviewer) and 74% vs 93%, (subjects) both P < 0.05. The number of repeated items was significantly less for VEX compared to VPET, 1% vs 6% (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It may be feasible to screen for exposure to violence in the PED. VEX is a more feasible screening tool compared to VPET.
authors.affiliation: University of Connecticut, Storrs, USA.
authors.forename: Kyle T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Finnegan
authors.forename: Steven C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Borrup
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saleheen
authors.forename: Sharon R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011634:Public Health; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data