Personal assistance, disability, and intimate partner violence: A guide for healthcare providers

Our objective was to provide evidence-based guidance for health care providers to engage in brief and extensive assessment of intimate partner violence (IPV) and to initiate appropriate safety precautions and referrals, all within the context of disability. Research Method/Design: This article is a review of the literature on prevalence and risk factors for IPV in nondisabled couples and in couples where a partner has a disability, on various assessment tools, and on the impact of personal assistance on relationships.

When an individual has a disability, it is often her or his partner who provides personal assistance. While providing this assistance can produce individual and/or interrelational benefits, it is also associated with a number of mental and physical health problems, including anxiety, depression, anger, drug abuse, and relationship discord and dissatisfaction. In addition, IPV is not uncommon among couples, and risk for partner violence may include depression, drug abuse, and relationship dissatisfaction, among others.

It is likely that health care providers will encounter individuals with disabilities who are both receiving care from their partners and who are also the victims of partner violence. Thus, they will need to be prepared to assess and triage patients who are in or may be at risk for abusive relationships and to ensure patient safety in the context of these relationships. However, it is also critically important that this assessment occurs within a culturally inclusive and disability-affirming context. (PsycINFO Database Record