Domestic Violence Reports in the ED

Women who experience domestic violence often seek care in emergency departments (EDs). To gain insight into the ability of ED healthcare providers to elicit and document reports of domestic violence and to intervene when appropriate, investigators audiotaped and analyzed encounters between providers and consenting patients (age range, 16–69) who visited one of two EDs serving socioeconomically diverse populations.

Domestic violence was discussed on 293 tapes and disclosed by the patient on 77 tapes. Only one third of domestic abuse cases were documented in the medical record. Clinicians often avoided the topic, asked questions in a perfunctory manner, and missed opportunities for follow-up and for referrals when women volunteered information…