Premium
Domestic and family violence, non‐lethal strangulation and social work intervention in the emergency department
Author(s) -
Marks Jacqueline,
Markwell Alexandra,
Randell Thomas,
Hughes James
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
emergency medicine australasia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.602
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1742-6723
pISSN - 1742-6731
DOI - 10.1111/1742-6723.13519
Subject(s) - medicine , referral , demographics , emergency department , incidence (geometry) , domestic violence , intervention (counseling) , cohort , social work , medical emergency , family medicine , suicide prevention , poison control , emergency medicine , nursing , demography , physics , sociology , optics , economics , economic growth
Objective To review domestic and family violence (DFV) and non‐lethal strangulation (NLS) presentations to an ED with 24‐h social work. Methods Retrospective cohort study of 12 months of DFV presentations comparing demographics, perpetrator relationship, social work review, injuries and NLS incidence and assessment. Results Women represent 90% of DFV presentations. In 26% of DFV presentations NLS was identified, with 47.5% clinically assessed appropriately. Social work did not review 34% of DFV presentations, 64% due to no referral. Conclusions Social work referral for DFV is regularly missed despite 24‐h access. Assessment of NLS in ED requires improvement and standardised national guidelines.