“I Need to Hear From Women Who Have ‘Been There’”: Developing a Woman-Focused Intervention for Drug Use and Partner Violence in the Emergency Department

Abstract

Objective Addressing violence and linking women to community services in parallel with drug change goals is critical for women with coexisting intimate partner violence (IPV) and substance use disorders (SUD). Our objective was to develop a Web-based intervention to address violence and drug use among women patients in the ED. Methods The intervention was developed in a five-step process: 1) Initial intervention development based on selected theoretical frameworks; 2) In-depth interviews with the target population; 3) Intervention adaptation, with iterative feedback from further interviews; 4) Beta testing and review by an advisory committee of domestic violence advocates; 5) Acceptability and feasibility testing in a small open trial. Results Themes supported the selection of MI and empowerment models but also guided major adaptations to the intervention, including the introduction of videos and a more robust booster phone call. Participants in the open trial reported high scores for satisfaction, usability, and consistency with essential elements of motivational interviewing. Conclusions This qualitative work with our target population of women in the ED with SUD experiencing IPV underscored the importance of connection to peers and empathetic human contact. We developed an acceptable and feasible intervention distinct from prior ED-based brief interventions for substance-using populations.

Guidance for reporting intervention development studies in health research (GUIDED): an evidence-based consensus study

“…3a. The purposes of this study were to use patient-centered, mixed-methods intervention development techniques to develop and refine a computer-based intervention for drug-using women reporting IPV [intimate partner violence] in the ED [emergency department]… The intervention was developed in a 5-step process: (1) Initial intervention development based on selected theoretical frameworks; (2) In-depth interviews with the target population ; (3) Intervention adaptation, with iterative feedback from further interviews; (4) Beta testing and review by an advisory committee of domestic violence advocates; (5) Acceptability and feasibility testing in a small open trial 19…”

Technology as the Key to Women’s Empowerment: A Scoping Review

“…32,35,[37][38] or with a focus on building individuals' capacities, including internal and external resources. [37][38][39][40] The remaining studies described empowerment in a more indirect way, never including the term "empower" or "disempower." Instead, the term empowerment was described synonymous terms, for instance, over half (28/51) described the concept of empowerment as the process of enabling a sense of self-efficacy or self-worth in the ability to overcome barriers to resources, as well as the barriers to decision-making control.…”

Technology as the Key to Women’s Empowerment: A Scoping Review

“…34,37,[39][40] or with a focus on building individuals' capacities, including internal and external resources. [39][40][41][42] The remaining studies described empowerment in a more indirect way, never including the term "empower" or "disempower." Instead, the term empowerment was described in synonymous terms, for instance, over half (28/51) described the concept of empowerment as the process of enabling a sense of self-e cacy or self-worth in the ability to overcome barriers to resources, as well as the barriers to decisionmaking control.…”

“…These health challenges were largely focused on ways to enhance maintenance of women's health, for example self-paced education programs for those who experience intimate partner, as well as dating violence 33,41,72 , and educational training to enhance understanding and management of chronic illness 77 . The interventions based around health challenges were concentrated on those that affect women only, for example Educational training for patients with breast cancer, 38,61 health modules for those with breast cancer 78 and stress incontinence 63 and advanced care planning for women with ovarian cancer.…”