Krasnoff M, Moscati R. Domestic violence screening and referral can be effective. Ann Emerg Med 2002; 40:485-492.
Interventions in the ED can have a significant impact on whether domestic violence victims receive ongoing community-based services, says this study from State University of New York at Buffalo.
During ED visits, 562 women were identified as victims of domestic violence. Of these women, 475 (84%) agreed to meet with a volunteer advocate for a crisis intervention. As a result of this intervention, 258 (54%) accepted case management follow-up that continued for three to six weeks. After that period of time, nearly half of these women said that they thought they no longer were at risk for violence from their abuser. (For more information on domestic violence screening, see "New tools for domestic violence victims," ED Nursing, October 2001, p. 164.)
The researchers say that their goal was to expand care of domestic violence victims from the ED staff alone, to involving volunteer advocates and community groups. They note that 85% of the domestic violence victims agreed to meet with an advocate during their ED visit.
"Counter to the myth of the passive [interpersonal violence] victim, these women had not given up and were very interested in help to address the violence," they wrote.
Interventions in the ED can have a significant impact on whether domestic violence victims receive ongoing community-based services, says this study from State University of New York at Buffalo.
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