Investigating the Adequacy of Counterpart Information in Routine Registration of Victims of Interpersonal Violence: A Study in an Emergency Department of Tertiary care Hospital Hyderabad

Abstract

Objective: To assess the thoroughness of information regarding the counterpart during the routine registration of victims of interpersonal violence in the emergency department. Methodology: A study conducted at the emergency department of Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad and Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, LUMHS Jamshoro from January 2022 to December 2022, spanning a year, documented a total of 700 victims who reported injuries. In accordance with the World Health Organization's definition, Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) was identified. Victims were classified as IPV victims if they reported their injuries as resulting from IPV. Data collection was from the emergency department, and only the initial contact for each incident was recorded. Results: A total of 700 victims of violence were recruited, with 474 (67.7%) cases attributed to family violence, 185 (26.4%) cases to community violence, and 41 (5.9%) cases lacking information regarding the source of violence. The majority of violent incidents occurred over weekends (Friday to Sunday) across all categories (p<0.001). Family violence predominantly occurred in domestic settings, while community violence was more common in outdoor areas. Domestic violence was notably prevalent among cases with no available information (p<0.001). Conclusion: The study emphasizes the significance of reliable information about the counterpart in distinguishing between various forms of interpersonal violence, such as family violence and community violence, enabling analysis, monitoring, evaluation, and the formulation of appropriate preventive strategies or interventions against violence.