Screening for Domestic Violence Among Adult Women in the United States

BACKGROUND: Domestic violence is a problem frequently encountered in health care settings and a risk factor for physical and mental health problems. OBJECTIVE: To provide nationally representative estimates of rates of domestic violence screening among women, to identify predictors of screening, and to describe settings where women are screened. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: We examined 4,821 women over the age of 18 from the second wave of Healthcare for Communities, a nationally representative household telephone survey conducted in 2000–2001. MEASUREMENTS: Self-reports concerning whether the respondent was ever asked about domestic or family violence by any health care provider. RESULTS: Only 7% (95% CI, 6%–8%) of women reported they were ever asked about domestic violence or family violence by a health care professional. Of women who were asked about abuse, nearly half (46%) were asked in a primary care setting, and 24% were asked in a specialty mental health setting. Women with risk factors for domestic violence were more likely to report being asked about it by a health care professional, but rates were still low. CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported rates of screening for domestic violence are low even among women at higher risk for abuse. These findings reinforce the importance of developing training and raising awareness of domestic violence and its health implications. This is especially true in primary care and mental health specialty settings

Evidence-based practice: Tools and techniques.

Evidence-based practice (EBP) requires the conscious, conscientious and explicit application of the best available research evidence, together with professional expertise and patient/customer choice, to work practices. From its origins in clinical medicine, through a broader application to the health services industry, an evidence-based approach to work practices is becoming increasingly influential in all human services. Implementing evidence-based practice is related to the organisational management concepts of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI), Knowledge Management and the Learning Organisation. For human services professionals finding, critically appraising and applying best evidence requires enhanced information and knowledge management skills. Central to these skills is an understanding of the information ecology, particularly for the multi-disciplinary AOD field. This paper introduces the data-information-knowledge continuum, levels of evidence and the tools and techniques of finding and critically appraising evidence. Examples relevant to the AOD field are provided