An emerging public health perspective on domestic violence: implications for Wisconsin physicians and health care organizations.

In this article, we provide a brief discussion of the health and health care cost consequences of the problem of domestic violence, and a review of some key reasons why physicians may often fail to recognize the signs of this violence and abuse in their patients. In Wisconsin, a variety of agencies, educational institutions and communities are in the process of developing and refining educational initiatives or multidisciplinary response efforts which have medical care components or implications. Collectively, the experience being gained by these various efforts throughout Wisconsin provides a solid foundation from which to further develop and enhance a public health perspective for responding to domestic violence. It is suggested that this perspective can help inform the state's physicians and health care organizations on how they can improve their individual and organizational responses to the problem of domestic violence.