In this 40-minute video, Dr. Leigh Kimberg, a Professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine at ZSFG/UCSF, works with a breakout session group to understand best practices for screening patients for intimate partner violence (IPV). Please see the attached slide set for definitions and resources. The video starts with prevalence of violence in ZSFG clinics. Dr. Kimberg touches on the goals of addressing IPV, and specifies that disclosure of IPV is not the goal. Rather, goals are: increasing patient safety; increasing patient empowerment; reducing poor health outcomes; and assisting friends, family members, and healthcare employees and others affected by IPV.
Dr. Kimberg highlights the importance of a universal education-based approach to IPV screening. She recommends that preventive education about how IPV can affect health be provided universally ? not just to patients who have disclosed IPV. The group then practices scripts for screening for IPV using empowerment-based motivational interviewing techniques. She shares strategies to frame questions in a non-judgmental, calm manner. ?The only way the patient can hear you is if their adrenaline fight-or-flight is not happening?everybody has to try to be really calm during the interaction.?
This video is part of a series of recordings from HIVE?s trauma symposium, ?Beyond Compassion: Caring for Women with a History of Trauma.?
Additional Resources:
Futures Without Violence IPV Screening and Counseling Toolkit
Look to End Abuse Permanently (LEAP SF)
National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 Summary Report
I woud like to suggest that the wheel of violence be used to understand patient-physician interactions. Physicians are well known to wield power and control over patients, many of whom report abusive interactions — but medicine does nothing to acknowledge the problem.