Domestic violence and health ：The response of the medical profession

Publication subTitle ：The response of the medical profession

Author： Williamson   Emma (Author)  

Publisher： Policy Press‎

Publication year： 2000

E-ISBN: 9781847425218

P-ISBN(Paperback): 9781861342157

Subject： C91 Sociology

Keyword： Sociology: family & relationships

Language： ENG

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Domestic violence and health

Description

Domestic violence and health is one of the first indepth studies within Britain to explore the issue of healthcare professionals' attitudes towards women who are victims of domestic violence. There is a growing interest by healthcare professionals and researchers about the role of healthcare professionals in relation to domestic violence. This book looks at the health experiences of women who are victims of domestic violence and the responses to such injuries by healthcare professionals. The author presents the results of an indepth qualitative study, conducted within Britain, examining domestic violence and health. Women who are treated medically without any acknowledgement of the social, personal and psychological aspects of their condition, are likely to re-present with domestic violence-related injuries. The book includes chapters that look at: current interest both nationally and internationally; why women access health services; an examination of the physical and non-physical effects of domestic violence; the range of treatment options currently favoured by healthcare professionals and the response of patients to them; differentiations in practice between different health professionals; the impact of domestic violence as a social issue on trends in medical training. These issues are considered in light of debates about medicalisation, the function of the sick role, and both biomedical/wound-led, and holistic/person-led approaches to health provision. Key findings are highlighted, and the author provides recommendations for good practice. Domestic violence and health is essential reading for public health administrators and policy makers, healthcare professionals and feminist researchers, activists and advocates.

Chapter

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HEALTH

Contents

Acknowledgements

1. Introduction

Why domestic violence and health?

International research

Definitions

Chapters

2. Domestic violence and the medical profession

Statistical relevance, injuries and prevalence

Screening, policies and protocols

Feminist criticisms of the health interaction

Stigmatisation

Cultural myths

Quasi-psychiatric labels

Secondary versus primary diagnosis

Therapy and disease categorisations

Asking ‘the’ question: “Why doesn’t she leave?”

Part One: Domestic violence patients speak out

3. Physical and non-physical injuries

Physical injuries

Long-term health implications

Non-physical injuries and psychosomatic symptoms

Para-suicide

4. Treatment experiences

Validation of experiences and ‘a sympathetic ear’

Blaming women and ‘other women’

Information and advice

Being ‘struck off ’

Lack of advocacy

Counselling

Prescription drugs

Self-medication

Documentation

Generic examples of bad practice

Awareness of professional frustrations and constraints

Communication breakdown within the health service

5. Wider experiences of help seeking

The police

The criminal justice system

Social services

Teachers

Summary to Part One

Part Two: Clinicians’ knowledge and clinical experience of domestic violence

6. Definitions of domestic violence, roles and responsibilities

Generic definitions of domestic violence

Differentiations in relation to age

Historical context of domestic violence

Physical versus non-physical abuse

Definitions of clinical roles in relation to domestic violence

Non-medical practitioners’ perceived roles in relation to domestic violence

Health professionals’ perceptions of general roles and responsibilities

7. Explanations of causes

Victim blaming and cycle of abuse theories

Environmental factors

Biological explanations

The statistical prevalence of various explanations

Perceptions of domestic violence patients

Understanding the impact of domestic violence

8. Physical versus non-physical injuries

Identifying physical injuries

Psychosomatic complaints

Para-suicide

9. Treatment options

General responses

Disclosure and communication

Dissemination of information and advice

Women/patient-centred treatments

Counsellors

Prescribing antidepressants

10. Documentation and naming

The medical record as a legal document

Confidentiality

The medical record and the medical hierarchy

Patients’ access to medical records

Naming

Documenting non-physical injuries

Summary to Part Two

Part Three: Clinicians’ training and inter-agency collaboration

11. Intra-professional collaboration and communication

Health visitors and practice nurses

Counsellors

Female general practitioners

Primary versus secondary health services

12. Wider multi-agency collaborations

Domestic violence multi-agency collaboration

The police

Social services

Voluntary agencies

13. Training

Community-based training models

Training healthcare professionals about domestic violence

Domestic violence training tools

Medical power and control wheel

Interviewing strategies

Female injury location chart

Danger assessment and safety planning

Standardised patients

Screening

Summary to Part Three

14. Conclusion

Bibliography

Appendix 1: Details of research participants

Appendix 2: Useful information and contacts