The acceptability of routine inquiry about domestic violence towards women: a survey in three healthcare settings.

BACKGROUND

Domestic violence is frequently only disclosed when healthcare staff directly inquire. Healthcare staff worry that inquiry may offend.

AIM

To identify the characteristics of women who find inquiry about domestic violence by healthcare staff unacceptable.

DESIGN OF STUDY

Anonymous interview based cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Three general practice surgeries, one antenatal clinic and one emergency department in Cambridge, England, with a total of 2306 women attending for health care.

METHOD

Cross-sectional survey.

RESULTS

In total 1452 completed questionnaires were returned; response rate 63%. One hundred and twenty-two women (8.4%) indicated that they found inquiry by healthcare staff unacceptable. Women at the emergency department and GP surgeries were more likely to find inquiry unacceptable (odds ratio [OR] = 3.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1 to 9.9) and (OR = 3.9, 95% CI = 1.3 to 11.5) respectively, than in the antenatal clinic. Women at the antenatal clinic reported lower rates of abuse within 1 year than at the emergency department or antenatal clinic. Abuse within 1 year was strongly associated with finding inquiry unacceptable (OR = 4.5, 95% CI = 1.8 to 11.4), but not lifetime abuse (OR = 0.9, 95% CI = 0.5 to 1.9).

CONCLUSIONS

Inquiry about domestic violence by healthcare staff is acceptable to most women. Acceptability is highest in women who have not been abused in the last year and who are attending the antenatal clinic. Women who attend the antenatal clinic have lower rates of abuse within 1 year.