Prevalence of domestic violence in community practice and rate of physician inquiry.

BACKGROUND

National surveys show that each year in the United States approximately 2 million women are battered by their husbands. Only a small percentage of these women are identified by physicians. The objective of this research was to determine the incidence and prevalence of spouse abuse among women seeking health care in a family practice clinic (or setting).

METHODS

During a two-month period, all adult women seeking health care from a family practice clinic in a medium-sized Midwestern community were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire about whether they had ever been physically assaulted by their partners.

RESULTS

Of 476 consecutive women seen in practice, 394 (82.7%) agreed to participate. Of these, 22.7% had been physically assaulted by their partners within the last year. The lifetime rate of physical abuse was 38.8%. Only six women in the sample had ever been asked about abuse by their physician in a recent visit [corrected].

CONCLUSIONS

Although spouse abuse is common, physicians rarely ask about it. Physicians should be trained to detect and assess abuse among female patients.