Lemich Sarah A, Freudenthal Jacqueline J, Neill Karen, Bowen Denise M
J Dent Hyg. 2018 Jun;92(3):47-55.
Limited data document dental hygienists' preparedness for intimate partner violence (IPV) screening and response. The aim of this study was to assess dental hygienists' readiness to screen for IPV and provide baseline information for the realization of action toward addressing IPV. The Domestic Violence Healthcare Provider Survey (DVHPS) instrument was distributed online to all members of the Texas Dental Hygienists' Association (n=1100). Four hundred fifteen emails were opened and 114 (n=114) surveys were returned for 28% response rate. This validated survey measures six scales: perceived self-efficacy, fear of offending patients, victim personality/traits, professional role resistance, perceptions of victim disobedience causing IPV, and psychiatric support. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate mean scores for each scale. Specific criteria were applied to interpret the level of readiness based on the scale scores. A little more than one quarter of the respondents (28%) reported having had course content related to IPV as students in their dental hygiene program curriculum, while 27% reported completing continuing education on IPV. A significant proportion of participants, 40%, were uncertain if routine IPV screening was within their professional role. They did not perceive self-efficacy in their screening capabilities (=3.08 with 5.0 as the strongest), however they reported possessing a strong knowledge regarding IPV victims' personality/traits and did not blame the victims (=1.92 and 1.48 respectively with 1.0 as the strongest). Results confirm earlier studies indicating the need for IPV training for oral health care professionals. Specifically, there is an evident need for training to increase dental hygienists' self-efficacy regarding IPV screening. Dental hygienists play a critical role in IPV screening and should be prepared to face the challenges presented by IPV and be available to meet the needs of IPV victims through referral to the appropriate support services.
仅有有限的数据记录了牙科保健员对亲密伴侣暴力（IPV）筛查及应对的准备情况。本研究的目的是评估牙科保健员对IPV筛查的准备程度，并为采取行动应对IPV提供基线信息。《家庭暴力医疗服务提供者调查问卷》（DVHPS）通过网络分发给德克萨斯州牙科保健员协会的所有成员（n = 1100）。共打开415封电子邮件，回收114份调查问卷，回复率为28%。这份经过验证的调查问卷测量六个量表：自我效能感、担心冒犯患者、受害者性格/特征、职业角色抵触、认为受害者不服从导致IPV以及精神支持。使用描述性统计来计算每个量表的平均得分。根据量表得分应用特定标准来解释准备程度。略多于四分之一的受访者（28%）报告在牙科保健课程学习期间曾有过与IPV相关的课程内容，而27%报告完成了关于IPV的继续教育。相当一部分参与者（40%）不确定常规IPV筛查是否属于其职业角色范围。他们在筛查能力方面未感知到自我效能感（得分3.08，满分5.0为最强），然而他们报告对IPV受害者的性格/特征有充分了解，且不责怪受害者（分别得分1.92和1.48，满分1.0为最强）。结果证实了早期研究表明口腔卫生保健专业人员需要进行IPV培训。具体而言，显然需要开展培训以提高牙科保健员在IPV筛查方面的自我效能感。牙科保健员在IPV筛查中发挥着关键作用，应做好准备面对IPV带来的挑战，并通过转介至适当的支持服务来满足IPV受害者的需求。
