Domestic violence exacts terrible human and economic costs from our society. Physicians could help battered women tremendously if they screened to uncover patient victimization, validated victims' experience, documented the occurrence and effects of violence, and referred victims appropriately. Many prestigious professional and governmental organizations believe these are appropriate health care activities for physicians. However, studies show that physicians and patients rarely discuss this vital issue. There are many barrier to physicians' inquiring about domestic violence, as well as barriers to battered women disclosing details about their situation to physicians. Because of these barriers, physicians often misdiagnose battered women, prescribe medications inappropriately to them, and contribute to their feeling of hopelessness and isolation by appearing to not notice or care about their plight. Surprisingly little is known about the barriers that prevent battered women and physicians from speaking about domestic violence. The investigators propose a two-phase study to examine this issue. Phase I will consist of in-depth interviews with a San Francisco Bay Area sample of 100 emergency medicine physicians, 100 obstetrician/gynecologists, and 100 primary care physicians (general internist and family practice physicians), oversampling women from each specialty. Phase II activities will consist of recruiting and conducting in-depth interviews with a heterogenous sample of 543 battered women, 181 from each of three ethnic groups--Caucasian, African American, and Latina.
This research aims to identify the barriers that prevent physicians and battered women from discussing domestic violence, and to ascertain the characteristics of physicians and battered women patients that contribute to making such discussions more likely. This information will be invaluable to future interventions enabling women to receive the best possible health care.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01MH051580-02
Application #
2416023
Study Section
Services Research Review Committee (SER)
Project Start
1996-09-30
Project End
2000-04-30
Budget Start
1997-05-01
Budget End
1998-04-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1997
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California San Francisco
Department
Dentistry
Type
Schools of Dentistry
DUNS #
073133571
City
San Francisco
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
94143
Gerbert, Barbara; Gansky, Stuart A; Tang, Joyce W et al. (2002) Domestic violence compared to other health risks: a survey of physicians' beliefs and behaviors. Am J Prev Med 23:82-90
Gerbert, Barbara; Moe, James; Caspers, Nona et al. (2002) Physicians' response to victims of domestic violence: toward a model of care. Women Health 35:1-22
Love, C; Gerbert, B; Caspers, N et al. (2001) Dentists' attitudes and behaviors regarding domestic violence. The need for an effective response. J Am Dent Assoc 132:85-93
Gerbert, B; Moe, J; Caspers, N et al. (2000) Simplifying physicians' response to domestic violence. West J Med 172:329-31
Gerbert, B; Caspers, N; Milliken, N et al. (2000) Interventions that help victims of domestic violence. A qualitative analysis of physicians' experiences. J Fam Pract 49:889-95
Gerbert, B; Caspers, N; Bronstone, A et al. (1999) A qualitative analysis of how physicians with expertise in domestic violence approach the identification of victims. Ann Intern Med 131:578-84
Gerbert, B; Abercrombie, P; Caspers, N et al. (1999) How health care providers help battered women: the survivor's perspective. Women Health 29:115-35