Screening method can play role in disclosure of intimate partner violenceAugust 02, 2006Reported prevalence rates for intimate partner violence can vary, depending on the screening method, type of questionnaire used and health care setting, and women prefer self-completed questionnaires, compared to face-to-face interviews, according to a study in the August 2 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on violence and human rights. As intimate partner violence (IPV) has gained recognition as a major public health problem, research efforts have focused on the development of universal screening instruments and protocols for use in health care settings to identify women exposed to IPV, according to background information in the article. Previous studies have demonstrated that women will disclose experiences of violence in response to screening; however, few studies have compared methods of screening. Harriet L. MacMillan, M.D., of McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and colleagues compared two screening instruments with the goal of determining an optimal method of screening for IPV in health care settings, based on 3 criteria: (1) 12-month prevalence, (2) extent of missing data, and (3) participant preference. The study included women age 18 to 64 years who were well enough to participate and could be seen individually. Of 2,602 eligible women, 141 (5 percent) refused participation. The randomized trial was conducted from May 2004 to January 2005 at 2 each of emergency departments, family practices, and women's health clinics in Ontario, Canada. Participants were randomized to 1 of 3 screening approaches: a face-to-face interview with a health care provider (physician or nurse), written self-completed questionnaire, and computer-based self-completed questionnaire. Two screening instruments-the Partner Violence Screen (PVS) and the Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST)-were administered and compared with the Composite Abuse Scale (CAS) as the criterion standard. The researchers found that the 12-month prevalence of IPV ranged from 4.1 percent to 17.7 percent, depending on screening method, instrument, and health care setting. Although no statistically significant main effects on prevalence of IPV were found for screening method or screening instrument, a significant interaction between method and instrument was found: prevalence was lower on the written WAST vs. other combinations. The face-to-face approach was least preferred by participants. The WAST and the written format yielded significantly less missing data than the PVS and other methods. "The result of least missing data by written self-completed questionnaire is worth noting, especially for research applications, but also when considering clinical policies for IPV detection and intervention. Prevalence, missing data, and preference are all important considerations for both clinical and research efforts in IPV screening," the authors conclude. JAMA and Archives Journals |
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| Related Partner Violence Current Events and Partner Violence News Articles Study finds partner abuse leads to wide range of health problems Women abused by intimate partners suffer higher rates of a wide variety of doctor-diagnosed medical maladies compared to women who were never abused, according to a new study of more than 3,000 women. People with parents who fight are more likely to have mental health problems in later life People with parents who were violent to each other are more likely to have mental health problems when they grow up. Exposure to family violence compromises physical and mental health of older women Older African American women exposed to high levels of family violence during their lifetimes are at significantly greater risk of poor health status, according to a report in the current issue of Journal of Women's Health, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. Avoiding secondhand smoke during pregnancy Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) commonly called secondhand smoke, can harm a developing fetus and may account for complications during pregnancy and birth. Victims of intimate partner violence display distinct patterns of facial injury Women who are victims of intimate partner violence tend to have different patterns of facial injury than women who experience facial trauma from other causes. Study looks at the lives of boys who commit dating violence A new study sheds light on the lives of teenage boys who abuse their girlfriends. In their own words, the young men often describe facing challenges such as growing up with troubled family lives, having little or no support when they began to fail at school, and witnessing violence in their own homes and communities. Women in India abused by husbands at far greater risk for HIV infection India is home to the third-largest number of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases in the world and, as in the U.S. and many African nations, the rate of infection among women continues to rise faster than that among men. Disclosing violence to primary care or obestetrics/gynecology physicians most beneficial Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Center (BMC) found that patients who disclose intimate partner violence (IPV) to their clinicians of any type did not experience serious harm. Sexual violence study finds NY teens victimized at rate higher than national average The New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault, in collaboration with Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health's Center for Youth Violence Prevention, announced the results of a three-year, comprehensive research project on sexual and dating violence among New York City high school students, and the health impact of that violence on those victimized by it. Victims of child maltreatment more likely to perpetrate youth violence, intimate partner violence Some people are caught in a cycle of violence, perhaps beginning with their own abuse as a child and continuing into perpetration or victimization as an adult. More Partner Violence Current Events and Partner Violence News Articles |
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