INTERDISCIPLINARY HEALTH-CARE AND FEMALE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Female victims of domestic violence often face uncertainty in hospital emergency rooms. Victims may encounter physicians, nurses, social wor kers, and other health care providers who do not work collaboratively, have limited knowledge of domestic violence, and express negative att itudes. Hence, treatment outcomes may be negative. A retrospective cas e study of 153 medical records of female victims at two Midwestern hos pital emergency medicine departments was completed. Findings suggest p ositive treatment outcome where interdisciplinary collaboration was ev ident. Included were more accurate assessments in terms of past histor y, more descriptive emotional symptoms displayed by victims, and writt en documentation of recommendations concerning intervention and linkag e to community resources. Implications for policy and interdisciplinar y training are discussed.