Here's a frightening statistic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates nearly 31-percent of women and 26-percent of men will report being in a violent relationship in their lifetime, something the CDC categorizes as "intimate partner violence."
The problem is so severe that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is issuing new guidelines for doctors, recommending that ALL women of childbearing age be screened, even if they don't have any noticeable signs of abuse.
The Task Force reviewed 15 studies dating back to 2003 to determine the effectiveness of domestic violence screening and interventions for women in health care settings. They looked at whether the screenings reduced violence, the accuracy of the diagnostic screening tools, the ultimate outcomes, and any adverse effects.
All of the screenings included questions for patients and were administered in a variety of ways self-reported either on paper or by computer, or through interviews conducted by clinicians.
The statistics showed that increased evaluation and conversation about the topic led to more referrals for help, and ultimately a reduction in physical and mental harm to adult women of reproductive age.
I'm Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV, with news from today that can lead to healthy tomorrows.
Source: www.nlm.nih.gov
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