Universal screening for interpersonal violence: inability to prove universal screening improves provision of services.
Publication/Presentation Date
2-1-2004
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Universal screening for interpersonal violence is recommended despite a lack of confirmed efficacy. We hypothesized that the detection of violence via universal screening would result in high intervention rates for victims.
METHODS: Women aged 18-65 years presenting to an emergency department were screened using a standard protocol. Medical and social work records were reviewed for positively screened patients. Outcomes included whether victims received counseling/referral services. Secondary outcomes were the documentation of services offered and safety assessment performed.
RESULTS: A total of 1732 patients were evaluated; 615 (35.5%) responded positively to at least one query. Patients had a mean age of 34.7+/-12 years, 79% were non-white, 19% were married, and 76% had completed high school. Twenty-five out of 606 victims (4%) had documentation of violence. Residents were more likely than faculty or nurses to document domestic violence [3.3% (95% confidence interval 1.8-4.8%) versus 2.1 (0.9-3.4) versus 0.7 (0.0-1.4)]. The documentation of police contact, suicide/homicide risk, weapon presence, safety assessment and outside resource referrals occurred in less than 2% of charts. Only two victims were referred to social work (0.3%; 0-0.9%).
CONCLUSION: Even in an institution with a heavy emphasis and training on interpersonal violence and alternative mechanisms for universal screening we could not prove that the identification of victims resulted in counseling/referral being offered in the emergency department.
Volume
11
Issue
1
First Page
35
Last Page
38
ISSN
0969-9546
Published In/Presented At
Datner, E. M., O'Malley, M., Schears, R. M., Shofer, F. S., Baren, J., & Hollander, J. E. (2004). Universal screening for interpersonal violence: inability to prove universal screening improves provision of services. European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine, 11(1), 35–38. https://doi.org/10.1097/00063110-200402000-00007
Disciplines
Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
PubMedID
15167191
Department(s)
Administration and Leadership
Document Type
Article