An Evidence-Based Domestic Violence Education Program for Internal Medicine Residents

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Domestic violence (DV) is prevalent but often unrecognized, and it is a challenge to teach. This article presents an evidence-based DV education program for medical residents and incorporates it into a women's medicine curriculum. DESCRIPTION: An initial 3-hr seminar included video and case discussion, literature review, and role play. Participants then actively screened patients for 2 weeks and returned for a follow-up discussion session. The program was well received. EVALUATION: Six to 12 months after the intervention, key features questions were utilized to measure ability to correctly suspect DV in patient situations. Residents who had not attended the program served as controls. Three of the 8 questions were suspicious for abuse. Fifty-four percent of respondents in the intervention group correctly suspected DV in at least 2 out of 3 questions compared with 20% of controls (p = .02). CONCLUSIONS: An evidence-based DV education program was well received and helped correctly suspect DV.