Medical Students' Beliefs About Screening for Intimate Partner Violence: A Qualitative Study

Researchers have found that medical students who have received training on intimate partner violence (IPV) report greater comfort with screening for IPV and improved IPV interviewing skills than their counterparts. However, less is known about medical students' beliefs toward screening female patients for IPV and behavioral intention to screen. Semistructured, qualitative interviews were conducted with medical students to assess their beliefs, using the theory of planned behavior and social cognitive theory as theoretical frameworks for the interview questions. Most students felt that screening for IPV could help identify victims but could also potentially offend patients. Perceived barriers to screening included time and negative patient reactions, while perceived facilitators to screening included receiving IPV training and provision of IPV screening questionnaires while interviewing patients. Interviewees identified physicians as both supporters and nonsupporters of IPV screening. Behavioral intention scores ranged from 17 to 50 out of a possible 11 to 55. Findings from the study can help inform the IPV training needs of medical students.