Journal article

Primary care identification and referral to improve safety of women experiencing domestic violence (IRIS): Protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial

A Gregory, J Ramsay, R Agnew-Davies, K Baird, A Devine, D Dunne, S Eldridge, A Howell, M Johnson, C Rutterford, D Sharp, G Feder

BMC Public Health | BIOMED CENTRAL LTD | Published : 2010

Abstract

Background. Domestic violence, which may be psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional, is a major public health problem due to the long-term health consequences for women who have experienced it and for their children who witness it. In populations of women attending general practice, the prevalence of physical or sexual abuse in the past year from a partner or ex-partner ranges from 6 to 23%, and lifetime prevalence from 21 to 55%. Domestic violence is particularly important in general practice because women have many contacts with primary care clinicians and because women experiencing abuse identify doctors and nurses as professionals from whom they would like to get support...

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University of Melbourne Researchers

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Funding Acknowledgements

This study is funded by the Health Foundation, with service support costs covered by the NHS and is part of a programme of research funded by the National Institute of Health Research. We are grateful to the practitioners taking part in the study, particularly those who have taken on the mantle of 'champion' within the intervention practices. We acknowledge the work of our specialist partner agencies, Next Link and The Nia Project, in the provision of training and support to practices, and in their ongoing advocacy work with the women referred during the trial. Thanks to Richard Smith for his comments on a draft of this paper.