Partner violence screening effectiveness in a reproductive health care setting

Traditional intimate partner violence (IPV) screening tools have been developed and tested in emergency room settings, and their integration into health clinics has been scarcely documented This study tests the effectiveness of a newly developed, evidenced-based IPV screening tool for identification rates of IPV among reproductive health patients. The new screening procedures are compared to an older, traditional, screening procedure. This study provides evidence that can be used for screening and assisting women in a clinic setting before a crisis emerges (such as in an emergency room). A retrospective, cohort design compares two groups of patients receiving the old and new screening protocols to determine differences in disclosure rates and whether these rates vary by age, racial or ethnic group, and/or neighborhood clinic site. Data was obtained from 600 medical charts that were randomly selected from three clinics at Planned Parenthood of New York City (300 charts of clients who were screened under the new procedures and 300 screened with an older method). Preliminary results indicate that the new screening tool identifies more IPV cases (18% of patients) compared to the old form (9%) and that it has the ability to detect more subtle forms of violence like threatening behavior. There were no differences between forms in rates of refusal to answer the questions. Age and race differences exist in disclosure rates and follow-up procedures. Further, disclosure rates of past versus current relationship violence are discussed.