Women in the emergency department: how to screen for intimate partner violence?

Abstract

ABSTRACT Most of the countries do not have an intimate partner violence (IPV) screening programme. Emergency departments (EDs) could be the first point of contact for victimized women who have no information about where to apply to receive support. All suitable consecutive female patients who were admitted to the ED were asked 3 questions for the screening of IPV. A total of 1,098 patients were screened. Exposure to trauma/assault in the last year was present in 25.2% (n = 252) of the patients. 1.6% (n = 16) of the participants declared that they did not feel safe in their current relationships. Amongst the participants, 2.5% (n = 25) reported that somebody from a past relationship has been disturbing them. These total of 4.1% (n = 41) of the participants who did not feel safe in their current relationship and have declared that a partner from a past relationship has been disturbing them were informed about the support hotline ALO 1-8-3. When contacted by phone one month after their discharge, 27.5% (n = 11) of the informed participants reported that they contacted the hotline. Three brief screening questions can detect women who have a history of IPV. Routine promotion of the support services’ advertisements in EDs could increase awareness.