Intimate Partner Violence Resource Materials

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the educational impact of placing partner violence resource information in a medical setting. METHOD: A cross-sectional study with a structured interview. SETTING: Emergency department (ED) in an urban academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS: adult patients and visitors. INTERVENTIONS: Educational materials and community resource information. RESULTS: 51 patients and 71 visitors (N = 122) met the inclusion criteria and consented to enrollment during a 2-week study period. Of the participants, 71% were female and 29% were male. Sixty-five (53%) of the participants noticed the literature or cards. Ten (8%) read the materials. Seven (6%) retained a copy of the literature. Nineteen (16%) of the participants acknowledged knowing someone who could benefit from the information. Nine (7%) revealed that some of the information was new to them. CONCLUSIONS: Placing intimate partner violence resource pamphlets and cards in a medical setting is one means of educating the community and promoting violence prevention.