TY - JOUR
T1 - Intimate partner violence experienced by physicians
T2 - A review
AU - Hernandez, Barbara Couden
AU - Reibling, Ellen T.
AU - Maddux, Charles
AU - Kahn, Michael
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 2016.
PY - 2016/3/1
Y1 - 2016/3/1
N2 - Background: Physicians play a significant role in screening for domestic violence. However, little information is available about the prevalence of physicians who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) or the implications for their clinical practice. National surveys indicate a potential prevalence of 16% for sexual abuse and 32% for abuse by an intimate partner. This extrapolates to more than 395,000 potential physician victims, the majority of which are women. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of IPV and physician victims from 1990 to 2014 that included peer-reviewed journals, trade books, and dissertations that referenced physician victims. Results: We identified 17 publications; nine quantitative studies, four first-person accounts, one qualitative study, and a qualitative dissertation that included two physician subjects. Two case studies of victimized physicians were identified in trade books. Quantitative results noted that women reported higher prevalence for all experiences of violence [childhood exposure (6%-32%), adult IPV exposure (7%-24%)] than men (6%-10%). Conclusions: This review highlights the need for improved understanding of physician experience with IPV, and development of physician-sensitive resources and treatment approaches. Contributions and limitations are provided for each publication. IPV exposure impacts clinical practice, including reticence to consistently screen patients. Lower reported prevalence may be related to extreme stigma among physicians that may prevent their reporting and help seeking, but more research is needed. We provide recommendations for clinical practice, education, and future research.
AB - Background: Physicians play a significant role in screening for domestic violence. However, little information is available about the prevalence of physicians who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) or the implications for their clinical practice. National surveys indicate a potential prevalence of 16% for sexual abuse and 32% for abuse by an intimate partner. This extrapolates to more than 395,000 potential physician victims, the majority of which are women. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of IPV and physician victims from 1990 to 2014 that included peer-reviewed journals, trade books, and dissertations that referenced physician victims. Results: We identified 17 publications; nine quantitative studies, four first-person accounts, one qualitative study, and a qualitative dissertation that included two physician subjects. Two case studies of victimized physicians were identified in trade books. Quantitative results noted that women reported higher prevalence for all experiences of violence [childhood exposure (6%-32%), adult IPV exposure (7%-24%)] than men (6%-10%). Conclusions: This review highlights the need for improved understanding of physician experience with IPV, and development of physician-sensitive resources and treatment approaches. Contributions and limitations are provided for each publication. IPV exposure impacts clinical practice, including reticence to consistently screen patients. Lower reported prevalence may be related to extreme stigma among physicians that may prevent their reporting and help seeking, but more research is needed. We provide recommendations for clinical practice, education, and future research.
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U2 - 10.1089/jwh.2015.5216
DO - 10.1089/jwh.2015.5216
M3 - Review article
C2 - 26468760
SN - 1540-9996
VL - 25
SP - 311
EP - 320
JO - Journal of Women's Health
JF - Journal of Women's Health
IS - 3
ER -