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Sao Paulo Medical Journal = Revista... 2023Specific types of violence such as intimate partner sexual violence and intimate partner homicide occur more frequently in rural areas.
BACKGROUND
Specific types of violence such as intimate partner sexual violence and intimate partner homicide occur more frequently in rural areas.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to systematically review the literature on the knowledge and attitudes of rural healthcare providers regarding cases of domestic violence against women.
DESIGN AND SETTING
Systematic review developed at Universidade Federal de Uberlândia.
METHODS
We conducted an electronic search of six databases, which only included observational studies, regardless of the year, language, or country of publication, except for studies that used secondary data and were exclusively qualitative. Two reviewers performed the selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment using a specific Joanna Briggs Institute tool.
RESULTS
Six studies met the inclusion criteria. All the studies had a low risk of bias. Approximately 38% of these professionals identified injuries caused by violence in patients. When asked about knowing the correct attitude to take in cases of confirmed violence, between 12% and 64% of rural healthcare providers answered positively; most of them would refer to specialized institutions and promote victim empowerment and counseling. The number of professionals with an educational background in the field ranged from 16% to 98%.
CONCLUSIONS
The evident disparity across studies shows that some professionals have suboptimal knowledge and require training to adopt the correct attitude when identifying female victims of domestic violence in clinical practice.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
This systematic review was registered in the Open Science Framework Database under the registration http://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/B7Q6S.
Topics: Humans; Female; Domestic Violence; Health Personnel; Sexual Behavior
PubMed: 38055422
DOI: 10.1590/1516-3180.2022.0682.R1.180723 -
International Journal of Environmental... Mar 2023Smartphone applications or apps are increasingly being produced to help with protection against the risk of domestic violence. There is a need to formally evaluate their... (Review)
Review
UNLABELLED
Smartphone applications or apps are increasingly being produced to help with protection against the risk of domestic violence. There is a need to formally evaluate their features.
OBJECTIVE
This study systematically reviewed app-based interventions for domestic violence prevention, which will be helpful for app developers.
METHODS
We overviewed all apps concerning domestic violence awareness and prevention without language restrictions, collating information about features and limitations. We conducted searches in Google, the Google Play Store, and the App Store (iOS) covering a 10-year time period (2012-2022). We collected data related to the apps from the developers' descriptions, peer reviewed research articles, critical reviews in blogs, news articles, and other online sources.
RESULTS
The search identified 621 potentially relevant apps of which 136 were selected for review. There were five app categories: emergency assistance ( = 61, 44.9%), avoidance ( = 29, 21.3%), informative ( = 29, 21.3%), legal information ( = 10, 7.4%), and self-assessment ( = 7, 5.1%). Over half the apps ( = 97, 71%) were released in 2020-22. Around a half were from north-east America ( = 63, 46.3%). Where emergency alerts existed, they required triggering by the potential victim. There was no automation. Content analysis showed 20 apps with unique features, including geo-fences, accelerometer-based alert, shake-based alert, functionality under low resources, alert auto-cancellation, anonymous communication, and data encryption. None of the apps deployed artificial intelligence to assist the potential victims.
CONCLUSIONS
Apps currently have many limitations. Future apps should focus on automation, making better use of artificial intelligence deploying multimedia (voice, video, image capture, text and sentiment analysis), speech recognition, and pitch detection to aid in live analysis of the situation and for accurately generating emergency alerts.
Topics: Mobile Applications; Artificial Intelligence; Domestic Violence; North America; Smartphone
PubMed: 37047862
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20075246 -
Reproductive Health Dec 2019Domestic violence is common public health problem. Domestic violence related disclosure is an important first step in the process of prevention, control and treatments... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Domestic violence is common public health problem. Domestic violence related disclosure is an important first step in the process of prevention, control and treatments of domestic violence related adverse effect. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of domestic violence related disclosure and synthesize its associated factors.
METHODS
We followed the PRISMA Guidelines to report the results of the finding. Databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library and Web of Sciences were searched. The heterogeneity between studies was measured by the index of heterogeneity (I statistics) test. Funnel plots and Egger's test were used to determine publication bias. Moreover, sensitivity analysis was carried out. To calculate the pooled prevalence, a random effects model was utilized.
RESULTS
Twenty one eligible studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of domestic violence related non-disclosure was found to be 36.2% (95% CI, 31.8-40.5%). Considering violence as normal or not serious, shame, embarrassment and fear of disclosure related consequences were the common barriers for non-disclosure.
CONCLUSION
More than one third of women and girls were not disclosed their experience of domestic violence. The finding of this study suggests the need of evaluation and strengthening of the collaborative work among different sectors such as: policy-makers, service providers, administrative personnel and community leaders including the engagement of men partner. This study also suggests the needs of women empowerments against the traditional belief, attitude, and practice.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Disclosure; Domestic Violence; Ethiopia; Female; Humans; Prevalence; Sexual Partners
PubMed: 31870388
DOI: 10.1186/s12978-019-0845-z -
Journal of Clinical Nursing Dec 2017To identify, review and critically evaluate published empirical studies concerned with the prevalence, management and support for survivors of domestic violence and... (Review)
Review
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
To identify, review and critically evaluate published empirical studies concerned with the prevalence, management and support for survivors of domestic violence and abuse who present at emergency department.
BACKGROUND
Domestic violence and abuse is a global phenomenon with a wealth of studies that explore the different aspects of the issue including the economic, social and health effects on survivors and on society as a whole. Emergency department is widely recognised as one healthcare facility where domestic violence and abuse survivors will often disclose domestic violence and abuse. In the UK, National Institute of Clinical Excellence produced guidelines in 2014 requiring all sectors of health care and those they work alongside to recognise support and manage survivors of domestic violence and abuse. Whilst there is an increasing body of research on domestic violence and abuse, limited synthesised work has been conducted in the context of domestic violence and abuse within emergency department.
DESIGN
This review encompasses empirical studies conducted in emergency department for screening interventions, management and support for domestic violence and abuse patients including prevalence. This review included studies that included emergency department staff, emergency department service users and domestic violence and abuse survivors.
METHODS
A systematic approach across five electronic bibliographic databases found 35 studies meeting the inclusion criteria published between 2000-2015.
RESULTS
From the 35 studies, four descriptive overarching themes were identified (i) prevalence of domestic violence and abuse in emergency department, (ii) use of domestic violence and abuse screening tools and emergency department interventions, (iii) current obstacles for staff working in emergency department and (iv) emergency department users and survivor perspectives.
CONCLUSIONS
Having knowledgeable and supportive emergency department staff can have a positive benefit for the longer-term health of the domestic violence and abuse survivor who seeks help. The physical characteristics of domestic violence and abuse are often easier to identify and manage, but emotional and psychological aspects of domestic violence and abuse are often more complex and difficult for staff to identify. This therefore raises questions as to what approaches can be used, within these busy settings, when often survivors do not want to disclose.
RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE
Domestic violence and abuse has been shown to have a direct impact on the health and well-being of survivors who will often access emergency department services with direct injuries and associated medical conditions. This article is relevant to those working in the emergency department in raising awareness in a number of areas of practice for example the prevalence of male intimate partner violence survivors. Furthermore, patients do not always disclose domestic violence and abuse even in cases where there is clear sustained injury thus requiring staff to be vigilant to repeat attendees and patient history. This requires a well-maintained and effective reporting system for instances of suspected and disclosed domestic violence and abuse in order that staff can provide the appropriate care and support. Emergency department staff often deal with complex cases, this includes different aspects of domestic violence and abuse including physical, emotional and psychological abuse. Continual support and guidance, including educational interventions, would assist emergency department clinical staff to manage and discuss instances of domestic violence and abuse in their workplace and their interactions with domestic violence and abuse patients. Whilst training for emergency department staff is welcomed, there also needs to be a greater awareness of the potential complexity of domestic violence and abuse presentations beyond physical injury in order for staff to remain observant throughout consultations. It is also suggested that clear domestic violence and abuse assessment and referral mechanisms should be embedded into clinical practice, including emergency department, as described in the UK National Institute of Clinical Excellence guidelines (2014). Overall improvements in reporting mechanisms in emergency department for the identification, management and support for domestic violence and abuse survivors would add to the collective and growing body of evidence surrounding domestic violence and abuse and their presentations within healthcare settings. Such measures would enable those working in emergency department to support disclosure of domestic violence and abuse more effectively.
Topics: Adult; Domestic Violence; Emergency Medical Services; Emergency Service, Hospital; Female; Humans; Intimate Partner Violence; Male; Qualitative Research
PubMed: 28403521
DOI: 10.1111/jocn.13849 -
Reproductive Health Jun 2024Domestic violence is a leading cause of poor health outcomes during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Therefore, there is a need for integrated domestic violence...
BACKGROUND
Domestic violence is a leading cause of poor health outcomes during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Therefore, there is a need for integrated domestic violence interventions in reproductive health care settings. India has one of the highest maternal and child mortality rates. This review aimed to identify characteristics of existing evidence-based integrated domestic violence and reproductive healthcare interventions in India to identify gaps and components of interventions that demonstrate effectiveness for addressing domestic violence.
METHODS
A systematic review of intervention studies was conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. Three research team members performed independent screening of title, abstracts and full-texts.
RESULTS
The search resulted in 633 articles, of which 13 articles met inclusion criteria for full text screening and analysis. Common components of integrated violence and reproductive health interventions that were effective in addressing domestic violence included: psychoeducation/education (n = 5), skill building (n = 5), counseling (n = 5), engaging stakeholders with use of trained lay peer facilitators (n = 3), and engaging male spouses (n = 3).
CONCLUSIONS
Interventions in India for domestic violence that are integrated with reproductive health care remain few, and there are fewer with effective outcomes for domestic violence. Of those with effective outcomes, all of the interventions utilized psychoeducation/education, skill building, and counseling as part of the intervention.
Topics: Female; Humans; Pregnancy; Domestic Violence; India; Reproductive Health; Reproductive Health Services
PubMed: 38951870
DOI: 10.1186/s12978-024-01830-0 -
Canadian Family Physician Medecin de... Jul 2014To describe and evaluate the effectiveness of domestic violence education in improving physicians' knowledge, recognition, and management of abused women. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To describe and evaluate the effectiveness of domestic violence education in improving physicians' knowledge, recognition, and management of abused women.
DATA SOURCES
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE, PubMed, PsycINFO, ERIC, and EMBASE were searched for articles published between January 1, 2000, and November 1, 2012. This search was supplemented by manual searches for relevant articles using a combined text-word and MeSH-heading search strategy.
STUDY SELECTION
Randomized controlled trials were selected that used educational interventions among physicians and provided data on the effects of the interventions.
SYNTHESIS
Nine randomized controlled trials were included that described different educational approaches with various outcome measures. Three studies examined the effects of educational interventions among postgraduate trainee physicians and found an increase in knowledge but no change in behaviour with regard to identifying victims of domestic violence. Six studies examined educational interventions for practising physicians. Three of these studies used multifaceted physician training that combined education with system support interventions to change physician behaviour, such as increasing general awareness of domestic violence with brochures and posters, providing aids to remind physicians how to identify victims, facilitating physician access to victim support services, and providing audits and feedback. Multifaceted educational interventions included interactive workshops, Web-based learning, and experiential training. Another study used focus-group discussions and training, and showed improved domestic violence reporting among physicians. The remaining 2 studies showed improved perceptions of practising physicians' self-efficacy using problem-based online learning.
CONCLUSION
It was difficult to determine the most effective educational strategy, as the educational interventions and the outcome measures varied among the selected studies. Brief interventions for postgraduate trainee physicians improved knowledge but did not seem to affect behaviour. Online education using a problem-based learning format improved practising physicians' perceptions, knowledge, and skills in managing domestic violence. Physician training combined with system support interventions seemed to benefit domestic violence victims and increase referrals to domestic violence support resources.
Topics: Education, Medical, Continuing; Education, Medical, Graduate; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Spouse Abuse
PubMed: 25022633
DOI: No ID Found -
Trauma, Violence & Abuse Jul 2023Domestic violence (DV) is a pervasive public health issue due to its high prevalence and the adverse effects it can have on individuals. Standardized measures can fail... (Review)
Review
Domestic violence (DV) is a pervasive public health issue due to its high prevalence and the adverse effects it can have on individuals. Standardized measures can fail to account for within-group differences that are salient among diverse populations. The current review aims to systematically review and organize the psychometric studies of culturally responsive DV measures. The goal of the review is to inform researchers and practitioners about the validity and reliability of the existing measures to facilitate measure selection. Studies were included if they were validation studies of a DV measure, published in English in a peer-reviewed journal, demonstrated cultural responsivity, and provided evidence of validity or reliability. A total of seven studies were identified. Findings from this review showed that most participants were from South Asia or were South Asian immigrants. Some culturally specific tactics included being treated like a servant, eating last, being burned, and in-laws abuse. Most measures included in this review demonstrated compelling evidence of validity and reliability. More research is needed to develop and validate culturally responsive measures with distinctly diverse populations. Valid and reliable culturally responsive measures can be helpful for DV and non-DV service providers to precisely assess DV and provide appropriate services while documenting accurate DV prevalence rates.
Topics: Humans; Asia, Southern; Domestic Violence; Family; Psychometrics; Reproducibility of Results
PubMed: 35253542
DOI: 10.1177/15248380211073844 -
Trauma, Violence & Abuse Jul 2023Globally, healthcare professionals (HCPs) are increasingly asked to identify and respond to domestic violence and abuse (DVA) among patients. However, their own... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Globally, healthcare professionals (HCPs) are increasingly asked to identify and respond to domestic violence and abuse (DVA) among patients. However, their own experiences of DVA have been largely ignored. To determine the prevalence of current and lifetime DVA victimisation among HCPs globally, and identify risk markers, consequences and support-seeking for DVA.Method: PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL ASSIA and ProQuest were searched. Studies about HCPs' personal experience of any type of DVA from any health service/country were included. Meta-analysis and narrative synthesis were adopted. Fifty-one reports were included. Pooled lifetime prevalence was 31.3% (95% CI [24.7%, 38.7%] < .001)) and past-year prevalence was 10.4% (95% CI [5.8%, 17.9%] <.001). Pooled lifetime prevalence significantly differed (Qb=6.96, < .01) between men (14.8%) and women (41.8%), and between HCPs in low-middle income (64.0%) and high-income countries (20.7%) (Qb = 31.41, <.001). Risk markers were similar to those in the general population, but aspects of the HCP role posed additional and unique risks/vulnerabilities. Direct and indirect consequences of DVA meant HCP-survivors were less able to work to their best ability. While HCP-survivors were more likely than other HCPs to identify and respond to DVA among patients, doing so could be distressing. HCP-survivors faced unique barriers to seeking support. Being unable to access support - which is crucial for leaving or ending relationships with abusive people - leaves HCP-survivors entrapped. Specialised DVA interventions for HCPs are urgently needed, with adaptations for different groups and country settings. Future research should focus on developing interventions with HCP-survivors.
Topics: Female; Humans; Male; Crime Victims; Delivery of Health Care; Domestic Violence; Health Personnel; Prevalence
PubMed: 34978481
DOI: 10.1177/15248380211061771 -
Global Public Health Apr 2017Domestic violence (DV) is prevalent among women in India and has been associated with poor mental and physical health. We performed a systematic review of 137... (Review)
Review
Domestic violence (DV) is prevalent among women in India and has been associated with poor mental and physical health. We performed a systematic review of 137 quantitative studies published in the prior decade that directly evaluated the DV experiences of Indian women to summarise the breadth of recent work and identify gaps in the literature. Among studies surveying at least two forms of abuse, a median 41% of women reported experiencing DV during their lifetime and 30% in the past year. We noted substantial inter-study variance in DV prevalence estimates, attributable in part to different study populations and settings, but also to a lack of standardisation, validation, and cultural adaptation of DV survey instruments. There was paucity of studies evaluating the DV experiences of women over age 50, residing in live-in relationships, same-sex relationships, tribal villages, and of women from the northern regions of India. Additionally, our review highlighted a gap in research evaluating the impact of DV on physical health. We conclude with a research agenda calling for additional qualitative and longitudinal quantitative studies to explore the DV correlates proposed by this quantitative literature to inform the development of a culturally tailored DV scale and prevention strategies.
Topics: Domestic Violence; Female; Humans; India; Middle Aged; Prevalence; Spouse Abuse
PubMed: 26886155
DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2015.1119293 -
Trauma, Violence & Abuse Jul 2023Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health and human rights issue, with millions of children affected worldwide. While several reviews have explored the...
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health and human rights issue, with millions of children affected worldwide. While several reviews have explored the emotional-behavioural functioning of children exposed to IPV, this review aimed to examine the relationship between children's exposure to IPV and their cognitive development, and to identify associated factors such as aspects of parenting. The databases MEDLINE, PsycInfo, EMBASE, Family and Society Studies Worldwide, CINAHL, and ERIC were searched using key words related to IPV, such as domestic, family, partner, interparental, spousal, marital, violence, abuse, aggression, assault, combined with key words related to cognitive functioning, such as neuropsychological, executive, intelligence, learning, memory, and key words related to children and adolescents. A total of 38 studies met the criteria for review which included reporting an estimate of the relationship between IPV and cognition using direct assessments of cognitive functioning. Approximately 70% of studies found a relationship between IPV and poorer cognitive functioning, with general IQ the most frequently assessed domain of functioning, followed by verbal abilities and academic skills. Most studies assessed skills during early childhood, with fewer studies assessing children during middle childhood and adolescence. Results were consistent across cognitive domains and developmental stages. In terms of factors associated with IPV and cognition, a range of demographic, individual, and family factors were included, with several studies exploring mediating and moderating mechanisms. The findings suggest that IPV in childhood is associated with poorer cognitive skills across a range of domains. Implications for policy, practice and research are discussed.
Topics: Child; Humans; Child, Preschool; Adolescent; Intimate Partner Violence; Child Abuse; Aggression; Crime Victims; Cognition
PubMed: 35666939
DOI: 10.1177/15248380221082081