title: [Medical and sociodemographic aspects of domestic violence. Systematic evaluation of patient data from the emergency department of a maximum care hospital].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Injuries due to domestic violence are a frequent occurrence in emergency departments. Although domestic violence has been well analyzed from the sociological point of view, medical data concerning patterns of injuries are rare.
  
  
  METHODS
  Victims of domestic violence who presented at the emergency department of a maximum care hospital were included in the study. Sociodemographic data and patterns of injuries were documented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the patients who presented at the emergency room 1.4 % suffered injuries due to domestic violence and 70 % were women who had been predominantly attacked by the (ex) partner. The male victims were predominantly attacked by friends. In 88 % the head and neck were involved. Male patients were attacked with objects (as a kind of weapon) more frequently than women. A migration background was documented in 45 % of the female and 30 % of the male patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patterns can be easily recognized: the victims were predominantly female and were attacked by the (ex) partner. Injuries were localized to the upper part of the body. No excessive violence with life-threatening or fatal injuries was observed.
authors.affiliation: Orthopädisch-Unfallchirurgisches Zentrum, Universitätsmedizin Mannheim, Medizinische Fakultät Mannheim der Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Deutschland, renata.gologan@umm.de.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gologan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aziriu
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Obertacke
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schreiner
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D018454:Spouses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult