How Radiologists Can Help Identify Victims of Domestic Violence

Radiologists are not typically involved in the treatment of patients who have experienced domestic violence, but there are several signs providers can be on the lookout for to spot potential victims.

“Intimate partner violence (IPV) often remains undetected due to both patient and provider factors including reluctance to disclose abuse, limited training of health care workers to recognize IPV warning signs, and time constraints on clinical encounters,” explained Bharti Khurana, MD, from Brigham and Women’s Hospital Trauma Imaging Research and Innovation Center, and colleagues. “These issues are exaggerated in emergency or urgent care settings due to the rapid pace of care delivery and lack of longitudinal relationships between patients and providers. Objective and systematic analysis of radiologic studies provides an opportunity for earlier IPV detection in patients who are not yet ready to disclose.”

Source: Health Imaging