Preparedness of Health Care Practitioners to Screen Women for Domestic Violence in a Border Community

Abstract

Health care professionals do not always screen patients for domestic abuse. In the absence of screening, the likelihood of misdiagnoses and prescriptions contraindicated for symptoms of abuse survivors is increased. Several factors may contribute to the lack of routine and uniform screening, including a lack of educational preparedness. The qualitative findings presented here are part of a larger quantitative study investigating the skills, beliefs, and expectations about screening for domestic abuse among physicians, dentists, and nurse practitioners from a border community in southwest Texas. Practitioners requested specific information to enhance educational preparedness and improve clinical practice for their abused patients.

Counselors' Attributions of Blame Toward Female Survivors of Battering

“…Misdiagnosis and non-violent revictimization have also been barriers for many women seeking relief (McLeod, Hays, & Chang, 2010). Many women hesitate to disclose their experiences with battering, and many counselors are unprepared to screen for abuse (McLeod et al, 2010), which can lead a counselor to attribute many of the women's symptoms to something other than violence (Goff, Shelton, Byrd, & Parcel, 2003). In addition, many women fear disclosing the abuse due to prior experiences with being blamed or having the abuse minimized, which may lead to feelings of re-victimization from a mental health professional (Carey, 1997;Lutenbacher, Cohen, & Mitzel, 2003).…”

“I’ve never asked one question.” Understanding the barriers among orthopedic surgery residents to screening female patients for intimate partner violence

“…Neither of these assumptions is supported by current evidence. To the contrary, research suggests that neither emergency department clinicians nor primary care providers are routinely screening patients [26][27][28][29] and that dis closure rates may increase when screening questions are asked at every clinical encounter. 30 Moreover, residents expressed differing views about the appropriateness of IPV screening by orthopedic specialists, stating that on the one hand IPV screening would be more acceptable from an emergency department clinician because they are often asking social history questions, but that on the other hand orthopedic specialists cannot establish sufficient patient rapport owing to short clinical visits, such as those that are typical in an emergency setting.…”

Therapist Perceptions of Intimate Partner Violence: A Replication of Harway and Hansen's Study after More than a Decade

“…Attention to this area of study has most likely been triggered by the general realization that IPV is pervasive and crosses ethnic, racial, age, sexual orientation, religious, and socioeconomic lines (Domestic Violence Statistics, n.d.). Even so, it has been shown that health care professionals often lack knowledge regarding IPV, including the ability to accurately assess the dangers inherent within families presenting with IPV issues (Goff, Shelton, Byrd, & Parcel, 2003; Smith, 2000). …”

“…Therefore, it should come as no surprise that female victims of IPV present in significant numbers within the medical and mental health professions (Addis & Mahalik, 2003; Goff, Shelton, Byrd, & Parcel, 2003). The wealth of IPV knowledge, information, and screening tools that medical and mental health providers presently have at their fingertips should be more than enough to prepare them for the accurate and effective assessment of IPV victims.…”

“…Unfortunately, numerous studies have shown this is not the case. Members of the medical and mental health professions appear ill-prepared to accurately assess their clients for IPV issues (Hansen & Harway, 1993; Hansen, Harway, & Cervantes, 1991; Goff et al, 2003; McCloskey, in submission; McCloskey & Grigsby, 2005). …”