Training and Support Boost Domestic-Violence Case-Finding and Referral in Primary Care

Women who experience domestic violence (DV) are identified infrequently in primary care practices and even less often are referred to specialized agencies that can provide counseling and access to community resources. Organizational change in healthcare systems can lead to better identification of DV cases, but its effect on referrals has been unclear.

Researchers randomized 48 primary care practices in two U.K. urban areas (median number of adult women per practice, 3013) to either immediate or delayed implementation of a program in which DV advocates trained staff in enhanced case-finding techniques, provided ongoing support, and accepted referrals of identified cases. The intervention included identification of a clinical champion in each…