Don't overlook violence in the home

Physicians are at the right place to help victims of domestic violence -- in the privacy of the exam room.

Editorial. Nov. 5, 2001.

The Sept. 11 attack and its aftermath have overshadowed many things, including attention to violence of the homegrown variety.

So we note, belatedly, that October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The message of this annual observance holds special significance for physicians, because doctors are among those who should be more aware of both the problem and the possibilities of addressing it.

It can often be an uncomfortable topic. Being a victim of domestic violence may well be a patient's most closely held secret. Meanwhile, many doctors are better trained for, and more at ease with, problems that can be solved with a procedure or a pill.

However, physicians are in a unique position to help patients at risk of domestic abuse. It is the doctor, especially in the privacy of the exam room, who may be one of the few people that a victimized individual can turn to for encouragement and effective help. It is important that physicians be open to hearing from a patient about domestic violence, that patients know it, and that the doctor be ready with the necessary contact information so that a patient can get assistance.

For the doctor who wants to know more there is help, too. The AMA has a special Web site that links to tips for doctors from the Family Violence Prevention Fund on the proper assessment, intervention, documentation and referral in cases of domestic abuse (http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/3242.html). [...]