Emergency Rooms Overlooking Domestic Abuse Victims
Most Women Do Not Get Recognized as Domestic Abuse Victims in Emergency Departments
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine researchers had examined court, police and emergency department records from a partially rural county in Michigan for the years 1999 to 2002 and came to discover that 80% of women who did report domestic abuse to law enforcement did go to an emergency room at least one time during the four years after reporting the assault.
Most of the women had repeatedly sought emergency care an average of seven times each during the study period.
The figures had indicated that only a mere 28% of the women had been identified in the emergency departments as victims of domestic abuse. Researchers had reasoned the it could have been due to the fact that most of the visits were for medical complaints and not injuries linked to domestic abuse. Among the patients only 3.8% of emergency visits had been reported to be mainly due to assault.
Domestic abuse victims were four times greater to be identified as an abuse victim if they sought emergency room care the day of the assault. Also, if they came into the emergency department transported by law enforcement or major complaints had consisted of mental health issues such as substance abuse or suicidal issues, they were more likely to be identified.
The study is published online in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
The study emphasizes the need for emergency department personnel to screen women that do not appear to be at risk for domestic violence according to researchers.
Dr. Karin V. Rhodes, director of the division of emergency care policy research in the emergency medicine department had stated in news release that emergency departments are as safety net for women with all types of health issues but the study demonstrates there is not a good enough assessment of a patients entire situation.
In conclusion Dr. Rhodes states that with today's technology there is no reason for not providing routine screening and referrals to the patients that they can use to further protect themselves.
If you or someone you know is abused get help immediately. There are many women who are victims of domestic abuse.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 all days of the year. They can provide you with numbers of local domestic violence shelters among other resources.
1-800-799-SAFE
In Detroit area:
8200 Marygrove Drive
Detroit
313-861-5300
Sources:
Published by Debbie
Deb is currently writing articles for magazines. Also featured as Detroit Alternative Medicine Examiner, Women's Health Examiner and Anchor for All Voices. . Also publisher of the new magazine "Cherokee Ble... View profile
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- The figures had indicated that only a mere 28% of the women had been identified in the er.
- The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 all days of the year.