Citation

Sachs CJ, Baraff LJ, Peek C. Am. J. Emerg. Med. 1998; 16(1): 60-63.

Affiliation

UCLA Emergency Medicine Center, UCLA School of Medicine, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9451316

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to quantify the proportion of men and women seen in a university emergency department (ED) for treatment of injuries resulting from intimate partner violence (IPV) that require reports to law enforcement authorities. A total of 1,516 adult ED patients were asked to complete a written survey instrument; 1,003 patients (66.2%) completed the survey. Two percent of patients reported they presented to the ED for treatment of injuries resulting from IPV. Three percent reported IPV within the last year, and 10% reported that they had ever been physically abused by a partner. Six percent of respondents reported that they had ever been threatened with a gun or knife by a partner, 2% within the past year. Only the lifetime prevalence of IPV was significantly greater among female patients, 15% versus 6% (P < .001). Approximately 2% of our ED patients require law enforcement intervention for IPV.