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Partner violence intervention in the busy primary care environment
Louise Anne McNutt1, Bonnie E Carlson, Isabel M Rose
1Department of Epidemiology, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12144, USA. lam08@health.state.ny.us
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|January 31, 2002
Summary
Primary care screening for intimate partner violence (IPV) identified severely abused women but limited access for others. Providing self-referral information may improve access for victims.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Clinical Intervention
- Healthcare Delivery
Background:
- Intimate partner violence (IPV) interventions are understudied in primary care.
- A multifaceted IPV intervention was implemented, including chart stickers, routine screening, and referrals.
- The intervention aimed to integrate IPV detection and support into routine healthcare.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a multifaceted intimate partner violence (IPV) intervention in a primary care setting.
- To compare screening, documentation, and referral rates between an intervention site and a usual care control site.
- To assess the accessibility of services for victims of varying levels of abuse.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study design was employed.
- Data collected included self-reported IPV, documented screening, and patient encounters with IPV materials.
- Chart reviews and patient surveys were used to gather information at both intervention and control sites.
Main Results:
- IPV screening documentation was present in 86.1% of tagged charts at the intervention site.
- Approximately 5% of women screened positive for IPV, with about half receiving documented follow-up and referral.
- The screening protocol demonstrated high sensitivity (80%) and specificity (98%) for severe abuse but low detection rates for moderate or low abuse.
- IPV brochure uptake was higher at the intervention site (51/1000 visits) compared to the control site (29/1000 visits).
Conclusions:
- Relying solely on screening as the entry point to services restricted access for many IPV victims.
- The increased removal of IPV brochures suggests that readily available self-referral information can enhance access to support services.
- Future interventions should consider multiple access points beyond direct screening to reach a broader range of IPV survivors.