Discusses the role of public health (PH) professionals in preventing family and intimate violence including findings from PH research, such as the cycle of violence and need to include abuse issues across the lifespan into medical education. Proposes that incorporating PH principles into medical education can help forge an effective partnership…

Medical residents were randomly assigned to either a 20-minute session on the importance of screening for domestic violence or to an unrelated topic. Subsequently, 71 percent of the trained residents diagnosed at least one case of domestic violence compared to 52 percent of residents in the control group. Rates of diagnosis also differed by…

Difficulty in identifying and eliciting information on domestic abuse is exacerbated by social, economic, and cultural factors. Study of the relationships between race/ethnicity/culture and domestic violence must be incorporated into both research and medical school curricula to sensitize students and enable them to develop skills for detecting,…

Principles for development of health professions curricula in family violence, arising from a 1994 national conference of experts, are identified at three levels: (1) knowledge, skills, and practices to be taught to all health professionals; (2) advanced training for primary care practitioners for comprehensive care and for specialists for…

Argues that services and systems are needed to support medical students and faculty as they learn about domestic violence, particularly to help individuals deal with their own and others' personal attitudes, feelings, and reactions to patients who have suffered abuse. Complex issues to be considered in preparing medical students and faculty are…

A survey of 83 primary care physicians found less than half felt family violence was a significant problem in their patient populations. Almost all saw a need for education about violence during medical training, but many would not participate. One-quarter were trained to diagnose domestic violence. Family and female physicians were more…

A survey of Virginia's three medical schools and their affiliated residencies found considerable variation in curricula concerning family violence. About one-fourth of residency programs had some curriculum content on specific domestic violence topics (child abuse, battered women, elder abuse). Faculty (n=27) with expertise in family violence were…

Efforts of the Health Resources and Services Administration to combat and ultimately prevent domestic violence are discussed. In collaboration with states and communities, the agency has programs to strengthen the health care infrastructure, support direct community-based service delivery, and educate health care providers. A comprehensive…

A study involving over 480 interviews in five diverse communities (Atlanta, Georgia; Duluth, Minnesota; Providence, Rhode Island; Riverside, California; Roswell, New Mexico) identified barriers facing physicians and other health care providers in identifying, treating, and referring victims of family violence, and illuminated the relationships of…

Suggests that changes in the structure of medical education can contribute to creating a health care system that helps end domestic violence. Medical educators can provide training experiences that foster understanding of complex social issues and development of cooperative skills, help students integrate them into routine practice, and model…

A discussion of faculty development in domestic violence for medical school faculty looks at unique challenges in this area, reviews standard approaches to faculty development, and offers specific suggestions for using existing resources and opportunities. Resources cited include workshops and training programs, conferences, organizations, and…

By graduation, all medical students should be able to demonstrate appropriate attitudes, core knowledge, and basic skills in assessment and intervention with patients at risk from or experiencing violence. Postgraduate medical training should prepare physicians with specialized knowledge and skills, and faculty development for medical school…

Argues that more attention must be given to helping medical students who have personal experience with family violence cope with both their own emotional needs and their responses to patients who are victims of violence. Medical schools might consider implementing training sessions on physical, psychological, and emotional self-care and…

A study investigated the effectiveness of two- and 3.5-day domestic-violence interclerkships in improving the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of two successive cohorts of University of Massachusetts third-year medical students. Participating students immediately and significantly improved in each of these areas and fully or partially sustained…

Evaluation of a Domestic Violence Module taught in the University of California, Los Angeles medical school found it to be innovative, well planned, and well received by both students and faculty. Areas identified for improvement included opportunities for students to practice skills and receive feedback, consistency in content across classes, and…