Emergency Department Screening for Intimate Partner Violence and Patient Perceptions of Care

• In Event: Victim Services and Assessment

Abstract

IPV screenings, when used consistently, are associated with higher identification rates of IPV compared to selective screening. Survivors who are connected with intervention and prevention resources report positive outcomes. However, barriers such as inadequate staffing, judgmental or dismissive attitudes, and a lack of empathy from healthcare providers persist. These experiences are compounded for racially marginalized patients, who may face additional stigmatization and mistrust due to medical racism. Despite well-documented racial/ethnic disparities in perceived and actual quality of care by healthcare providers, research on patient’s differential experiences of being screened for intimate partner violence (IPV) in hospital emergency departments (EDs) is scarce. Using survey data collected from a large public hospital in a major urban area, the present study examines the intersection of IPV screening in EDs and possible differences in patient perceptions of care, focusing on the context of medical racism. Using ANOVA, linear regression, and logistic regression, this research addresses three questions: “Are there racial differences in frequency of screening for IPV in EDs?”, “Among IPV-screened patients, does satisfaction with quality of care vary by patient race/ethnicity?”, and “Do patients screened for IPV in EDs feel that their treatment was negatively impacted by their race/ethnicity?”

Authors

• Molly McDowell, Western Carolina University

• Joanelle Bailey, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School & University Hospital