Intimate Partner Violence Intervention
An Evidence-Based Practice
This practice has been Archived and is no longer maintained.
Description
The target population of this intervention is women 18 years of age or older who are experiencing Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). The CDC defines intimate partner violence (IPV) as "physical, sexual, or psychological harm by a current or former partner or spouse" and can also include threats of physical or sexual violence. IPV is an important public health issue that influences many other health outcomes such as injuries, chronic pain, mental health issues such as depression, and reproductive health disorders.
In this intervention, trained health workers screen women seeking primary health care services for IPV. If the screening finds the women to be a victim of IPV, the health workers can begin counseling sessions. In the sessions, the women discuss behaviors that promote safety, goals, individual needs, and other issues that address IPV. Participants also receive six phone calls over a 3-month period from the trained health workers.
In this intervention, trained health workers screen women seeking primary health care services for IPV. If the screening finds the women to be a victim of IPV, the health workers can begin counseling sessions. In the sessions, the women discuss behaviors that promote safety, goals, individual needs, and other issues that address IPV. Participants also receive six phone calls over a 3-month period from the trained health workers.
Goal / Mission
The goal of this clinic-based and counseling intervention is to reduce Intimate Partner Violence by encouraging behaviors that promote safety for women.
Results / Accomplishments
A randomized control trial was used to evaluate the affect of a clinic-based telephone and counseling intervention on abused women's engagement in safety-promoting behaviors. A total of 41 women participated in the study, with 20 in the control group, 21 in the intervention group, and 2 lost to follow-up. Women in the control group received health information brochures, a list of community resources, and a monthly phone call to confirm contact information. Women in the intervention group received a personalized counseling session and a series of six phone calls over 3 months. All participating women were screened positive for IPV using a number of different measures. On average, those who received the intervention engaged in 3.47 more safety-promoting behaviors. Those who were in the control group performed 0.52 fewer safety-promoting behaviors. A woman's engagement in safety-promoting behaviors was assessed using a 15-item questionnaire, identifying whether she could protect herself or aid her escape from an abusive partner. According to the results of the questionnaire, the women that participated in the intervention group had engaged in more safety-promoting behaviors at follow-up than compared to women in the control group of the study.
About this Promising Practice
Organization(s)
University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences
Primary Contact
Dr. Tameka L. Gillum
301 Arnold House
715 N. Pleasant Street
Amherst, MA 01003-9304
(413) 545-2216
tgillum@schoolph.umass.edu
http://www.umass.edu/sphhs/person/faculty/tameka-l...
301 Arnold House
715 N. Pleasant Street
Amherst, MA 01003-9304
(413) 545-2216
tgillum@schoolph.umass.edu
http://www.umass.edu/sphhs/person/faculty/tameka-l...
Topics
Community / Domestic Violence & Abuse
Health / Women's Health
Health / Women's Health
Organization(s)
University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences
Date of publication
2009
Date of implementation
2006
For more details
Target Audience
Women
Submitted By
Dipti Banerjee, Rachana Modi and Vanita Mistry - UC Berkeley