Domestic violence victims in a hospital setting: prevalence, health impact and patients' preferences – results from a cross-sectional study. Issue 1 (31st December 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Riedl, David; Exenberger, Silvia; Daniels, Judith K.; Böttcher, Bettina; Beck, Thomas; Dejaco, Daniel; Lampe, Astrid
• Is Part Of: European journal of psychotraumatology. Volume 10:Issue 1(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-12-31
• Subjects: Domestic violence -- abuse -- identification -- prevalence -- posttraumatic stress disorder; Violencia domestica -- abuso -- identificacion -- prevalencia -- trastorno de estres postraumatico; 家庭暴力 -- 虐待 -- 识别 -- 流行率 -- 创伤后应激障碍; Post-traumatic stress disorder -- Periodicals; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Post-traumatic stress disorder; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Periodicals; Fulltext; Internet Resources; Periodicals; 616.8521
• DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2019.1654063
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2000-8198

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Background : Domestic violence (DV) is a widespread yet commonly underdetected problem with severe impact on physical and mental health. To date, only limited information is available on prevalence and detection-rates of victims of DV in hospital settings. Objective : The aim of this study was (a) to assess the prevalence and impact of DV on physical and mental health as well as risk-factors associated with it, (b) to determine how many patients had been asked directly about DV in the hospital and (c) to investigate patients' preferences about being asked about DV in a hospital setting. Methods : Adult inpatients and outpatients at seven somatic departments at the University Hospital Innsbruck (Austria) were included consecutively in this ad-hoc, cross-sectional paper-and-pencil questionnaire-based study. In total, n = 2, 031 patients were assessed regarding their experiences with DV. They also reported on whether they had been asked about DV at the hospital and whether they would mind being asked about it. To evaluate the impact of DV on patients' self-reported physical and mental health, odds ratios were calculated using binary logistic regression. Results : DV was reported by 17.4% of patients, with 4.0% indicating current DV exposure. Lifetime DV exposure was associated with a significant risk for both physical and mental health-problems. Only 4.8% of patients with DV exposure had ever been asked about it by hospital staff. While patients with a history of DV were more open to being asked about DV than patients without DV (78.2% vs. 72.9%), overall acceptance was still high (74%). Conclusion : DV is a frequently overlooked problem with detrimental effects on physical and mental health. While high acceptance of DV assessment was found, only a small proportion of affected patients had indeed been assessed for DV. Screening for DV in hospitals may thus increase the number of identified patients. HIGHLIGHTS: Domestic violence (DV) is a major health concern in healthcare facilities. DV remains an underdetected issue in the context of hospitals. Only 4.8% of patients who experienced DV had been asked about DV at the hospital. Most patients do not mind being asked about DV in a hospital setting. Acceptance of DV screening was higher among patients with a history of DV. Screening for DV and specific training for healthcare professionals may improve the detection rate of DV.