Citation

Ross J, Walther V, Epstein I. Soc. Work Health Care 2004; 38(4): 1-23.

Affiliation

Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1252, New York, NY 10029, USA. julier7725@msn.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1300/J010v38n04_01

PMID

15149903

Abstract

Most health care intervention models for intimate partner violence (IPV) are crisis driven and targeted to survivors of injury following episodes of physical violence. Knowledge about anticipatory and preventive approaches with women who are at risk for abuse is scarce, limiting professionals' ability to respond fully and effectively to this problem. This paper describes a retrospective, practice-based research study of social work interventions in two hospital-based primary care practices. A total of 431 female patients completed a self-administered questionnaire developed for the early detection of IPV risk factors during routine health care visits. The study showed surprisingly high rates of multiple risk markers in an urban primary care population whose medical presentations ordinarily would not raise provider suspicion about abuse. Findings confirmed the willingness of primary care populations to freely partake in routine screening and support the value of early identification and intervention with populations at risk. Practice implications are discussed.

Language: en