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The Maryland Health Care Coalition Against Domestic Violence |
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The
Maryland Health Care Coalition Against Domestic Violence was formed in 1998 to
provide leadership within the health care community to promote a proactive and
effective response to domestic violence through screening, identification,
education, intervention and treatment of domestic violence victims. According
to the American Medical Association, violence in the home among family members
has reached epidemic proportions. Nationally,
family violence creates 100,000 days of hospitalization, 30,000 emergency room
visits and 40,000 trips to doctors' offices each year. Recent studies
indicate that nearly one-third of American women (31 percent) reports being
physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their
lives. Eighty percent of Americans stated that they could tell a physician if
they had been either a victim or a perpetrator of family violence; however, a
study published in the August 4, 1999 issue of the Journal
of the American Medical Association found that less than 10 percent of
primary care physicians routinely screen for domestic violence during regular
office visits. The
Maryland Health Care Coalition Against Domestic Violence, whose membership
includes doctors, nurses, social workers, and victim advocates, supports routine
screening of all patients for domestic violence.
It has received a grant from the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and
Prevention to produce literature for physicians and their patients to help
address this issue. In 2001, the organization finalized Domestic
Violence Policy Guidelines: A Model for Maryland’s Healthcare Community.
Endorsed by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, this
eight-page document is available from the Coalition. The
Coalition has created educational materials focused on the health
consequences of domestic violence. Based on the theme, “Abuse is more
than bruises and broken bones: Domestic violence can make you sick,”
these materials highlight short and long-term health consequences, such as
chronic anxiety, substance and medication abuse, sleep disturbances and
digestive problems. Brochures
available
for physicians and other health care providers: The Coalition has also partnered with the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence to provide training about domestic violence screening and intervention to health care professionals in both hospital and office settings. As illustrated by this chart, screening for domestic violence in no more time-consuming that screening for other health problems. The Role of the Health Care Community is Critical to the Response to Domestic Violence The health care professional may
be the first to encounter domestic violence victims— often before the
courts or the police. Although
battered women comprise 20-30% of ambulatory care patients, only 1 in 20
is correctly identified as such. (Journal
of the American Medical Association)
The
health care community cannot effectively treat this public health epidemic
until it better understands the issues involved, properly screens and
identifies victims and responds in an appropriate manner. The
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO)
requires hospitals to have procedures to identify domestic violence
victims and make the appropriate referrals. For more information, including a list of available materials and upcoming educational programs, contact: Maryland Health Care Coalition Against Domestic Violence Email: dvcoalition@medchi.org
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