Support for Emergency Department Screening for Intimate Partner Violence Depends on Perceived Risk

• NCJ Number: 233866
• Journal: Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 21 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2006 Pages: 585-596
• Author(s): Michael D. Witting; Jon P. Furuno; Jon Mark Hirshon; Scott D. Krugman; Andre R. S. Perisse; Rhona Limcangco
• Date Published: May 2006
• Length: 12 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article examines emergency department (ED) screening for intimate partner violence (IPV).

Abstract

Emergency department (ED) screening for intimate partner violence (IPV) faces logistic difficulties and has uncertain efficacy. The study surveyed 146 ED visitors and 108 ED care providers to compare their support for ED IPV screening in three hypothetical scenarios of varying IPV risk. Visitor support for screening was 5 times higher for the high-risk (86 percent) than for the low-risk (17 percent) scenario. Providers showed significantly more support for the need for ED IPV screening than visitors. Controlling for confounding by gender, race, experience with IPV, hospital, and marital status did not affect comparisons between groups. These responses indicate greater support for IPV screening in the ED for high-risk than for low-risk cases, particularly among visitors. (Published Abstract) Tables and references