Woman abuse and public policy: potential for nursing action.

Woman abuse is the number one cause of trauma to women in the United States and a leading cause of women's mortality and morbidity. Nursing has been in the forefront in conducting research, identifying survivors, and intervening with women abuse in a variety of health care settings. Several initiatives are being taken by the American health care system with regard to this problem. Nurses, especially those in maternal, child, and women's health care arenas, need to continue their leadership in and support for these policy measures.