DOMESTIC VIOLENCE - AN EDUCATIONAL IMPERATIVE

OBJECTIVE: Domestic violence is the most common cause of injury to wom en. Obstetrician-gynecologists, who most women consider their primary care physicians, have a unique role in identifying battered women. Thi s study was designed to assess the extent and nature of current traini ng curricula regarding domestic violence education in obstetrics and g ynecology residencies. STUDY DESIGN: A survey sent to all obstetrics a nd gynecology residencies requested demographic data, the curriculum i n respect to domestic violence, availability of interested faculty, th e prevalence of battering among patients, satisfaction with the curren t teaching, and knowledge of pending legislation. Respondents were als o asked which of 10 common clinical presentations would prompt their f aculty to discuss the possibility the patient was being battered. RESU LTS: Eighty-three percent of programs responded. The ''typical'' progr am was urban, had five residents per year, and had faculties of full-t ime academicians and part-time private practitioners. Twenty-eight per cent reported having at least one faculty member with expertise in dom estic violence. One third reported a prevalence of battering of less t han or equal to 1% with 6% estimating fewer than 1 in 1000. Seventy-fi ve percent did not recognize at least one clinical scenario as suggest ive of battering. The majority were dissatisfied with their teaching a nd wanted help in curriculum development. Forty percent were unaware o f pending legislation linking federal support of medical education to including domestic violence in curricula. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this survey highlight deficiencies in the education of obstetrics and gynecology residents about domestic violence. Programs report limited faculty interest, underestimate prevalence, fail to recognize common p resentations, and are dissatisfied with their current curriculum, We a re not preparing obstetrics and gynecology residents to care for patie nts with a common problem-domestic violence.