Analysis of the information in mandatory reporting in victims of gender violence

Health Information Technology Documentation and Referrals for Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Assault

BACKGROUND

 Hospital settings provide a unique opportunity to screen for intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual assault (SA) yet often lack health information technology (IT) solutions for generating reliable and valid medicolegal documentation via forensic reports.

OBJECTIVES

 The objective of the project was to evaluate a pilot, technology "tool" for documenting cases of IPV and SA that could support forensic nurse examiners and related stakeholders in generating high-quality documentation and coordinating victim support services.

METHODS

 The tool was a digital health intervention implemented for use among forensic nurse examiners, law enforcement, victim support organizations, and more within four counties of California. We conducted a mixed-methods pilot study that captured data around the adoption, use, and impact of having access to the newly implemented tool.

RESULTS

 The tool successfully went live in all four pilot counties at different time points with different proportions of use by county and form type: exams, referrals, addenda, risk assessments, and other. Participants were motivated to use the tool out of a perceived need for data handling functionalities that went beyond traditional manual (paper) means. Key functionalities included body mapping, data quality controls within validated forms, attaching addenda to already existing case reports, and the means to distribute data to external recipients. Further study and development are needed on functions to incorporate into body maps and forms and understanding the information needs of law enforcement and victim support organizations.

CONCLUSION

 Our evaluation demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of a health IT tool to support forensic nurse documentation of IPV and SA and direct information to multiple legal and support-related stakeholders. Areas of future development include integrating IPV- and SA-related data standards for digitized forms, enhancements to the body mapping feature, and understanding the needs of those who receive digital data from forensic nurse examiners within the tool.

The role of family doctors in the management of domestic violence cases - a qualitative study in Portugal

BACKGROUND

Domestic violence leads to multiple health problems in victims and their families. Family doctors are in a particularly privileged position to detect, follow up, refer and report cases of domestic violence. However, little is known about the perception of these physicians regarding their role in managing domestic violence cases.

METHODS

We conducted semi-structured interviews with family doctors from all regional health administrations of continental Portugal. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analysed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Fifty-four family doctors participated in this study (n = 39 women, n = 15 men). The themes and subthemes that emerged from the data analysis translated doctors' broad responsibilities when approaching victims and aggressors. These included: "Implement preventive measures", "Empower the victim leading them to recognize the violent situation", "Detect domestic violence cases", "Treat health problems related to violence", "Provide emotional support", "Refer victims to specialized services", "Register the episode on the victims and/or aggressor clinical records", "Incentivize the victim to report", "Report the case to the authorities", "Intervene with the aggressor", "Protect other individuals" and "Follow up the patient and the process".

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study provide an overview of the current practical approaches being adopted by physicians and may provide a base for developing new interventions to support physicians to manage cases of domestic violence.

Satisfaction and Beliefs on Gender-Based Violence: A Training Program of Mexican Nursing Students Based on Simulated Video Consultations during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The increase in gender-based violence in light of the COVID-19 pandemic is a public health problem that needs to be addressed. Our study aimed to describe the satisfaction with a training program in gender violence victim’s attention through simulated nursing video consultations, analyze the beliefs on gender violence in Mexican undergraduate nursing students, and understand the skills that need to be improved. A descriptive cross-sectional study using a mixed-method was carried out with 27 students using a validated satisfaction questionnaire (quantitative data) and conducting scripted interviews (qualitative data) analyzed through the interpretive paradigm. All nursing students expressed a high overall satisfaction with simulated nursing video consultations and positive perceptions about this training program. From the students’ perceptions, three first-level categories and their related second-level and specific categories emerged: belief and myths, skills to improve, and learning improvements. A training program in gender violence victim’s attention through simulated nursing video consultations, in the middle of a pandemic, was a satisfactory experience for nursing students and beneficial for them, as they gained new knowledge and socioemotional skills. This training program mainly improved the acquisition of communication and emotional management skills for an adequate gender violence victim’s attention.

Nurse Training in Gender-Based Violence Using Simulated Nursing Video Consultations during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a serious global public health problem that becomes aggravated during public health emergencies that involve quarantine measures. It is important to train nursing students on GBV, especially in vulnerable situations, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of our study is to explore the perceptions of third-year nursing students about simulated nursing video consultations for providing assistance to potential cases of GBV victims using a high-fidelity clinical simulation methodology. After all of the simulated scenarios were completed, 48 scripted interviews were carried out following a guide composed of four open-ended questions to facilitate in-depth discussion. A descriptive qualitative study based on the interpretative paradigm was conducted. The nursing students indicated that they improved their knowledge on GBV victim management (mainly their awareness of the problem, recognition of the role of nursing professionals, and performance of non-technical skills), although they also mentioned the need for continuous training (particularly in socio-emotional skills, interview techniques, a holistic nursing care approach, and not presupposing). This innovative high-fidelity simulation methodology allows nursing students to improve their awareness of the GBV problem, acquire a realistic view about their role in addressing GBV, and build their non-technical skills (such as active listening, communication skills, empathy, and generating confidence) required to adequately care for victims of GBV.