Commentary December 15, 2007

COMMENTARY: The Challenge of Managing Families With Intimate Partner Violence in Primary Care

Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry 2007;9(6):410-412

Article Abstract

Because this piece has no abstract, we have provided for your benefit the first 3 sentences of the full text.

Since 1992, the American Medical Association hasencouraged physicians to ask patients about intimate partner violence (IPV).1 Although this recommendationhas existed for 15 years, studies show that there isroom for improvement, with less than 10% of physiciansroutinely asking about IPV.2 A variety of studies haveidentified time constraints, discomfort with the subject,fear of offending the patient, frustration with patient denial,lack of skills and resources to manage IPV, and personalissues as barriers for physicians.3-5