Intimate partner violence discussions in the healthcare setting: A cross-sectional study

In 2013, the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommended routine intimate partner violence (IPV) screening for reproductive-age women. Given the increased attention paid to IPV on a national scale, and broader recognition of its social and physical implications, we sought to characterize the discussions resulting from routine IPV screening—specifically regarding provider response and patient perceptions. In a cross-sectional analysis, we implemented a survey to examine outcomes of IPV screening, including use of guideline-concordant discussion topics and interventions, as well as patient perception of the encounters. Women aged 18–65 with lifetime history of IPV and a past-year healthcare appointment were recruited from clinics and women's shelters in Pennsylvania. Data collection took place from May 2014–January 2015. Of 253 women, 39% were screened for IPV at a healthcare visit in the year prior to survey administration. Of women who were screened, guideline-concordant discussion topics were employed in 70% of encounters and guideline-concordant interventions were offered in 72% of encounters. 58% of women reported being “extremely” or “very satisfied,” and 53% reported being “extremely” or “very comfortable” with IPV-related discussions. The low rate of screening in this population reiterates the importance of focusing efforts on educating providers on the importance of screening, promoting the availability of community resources, and developing systems-based practices that foster IPV screening, discussion, and referral following disclosure.