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Computer-based screening may encourage discussions about domestic violence |
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From EurekAlert! - Breaking News: Computer screening may increase the odds that a woman at risk for domestic violence will talk to a health care professional in the emergency department about the topic but does not guarantee that domestic violence would be addressed, according to an article in the May 22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Reluctance to raise sensitive issues prevents many physicians from identifying victims of domestic violence in health care settings, according to background information in the article. The emergency department (ED), where patients who have experienced domestic violence often seek care, presents additional challenges, including time pressures and urgent medical needs. Previous studies have shown that patients are more likely to disclose sensitive information, including experiences with domestic violence, on computer-based screenings than on paper surveys or in personal interviews. Participants were audiotaped during their interactions with physicians and completed an exit questionnaire, which contained the same questions about domestic violence as the computer screening, before leaving the ED. Of the 903 women who completed the exit questionnaire, 26 percent at the urban ED and 21 percent at the suburban ED indicated they were at risk for domestic violence.
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