What Victims Of Domestic Violence Need From The Dental Profession.

Purpose of the study was to determine whether 1) victims of domestic violence present in dental offices with signs of abuse; 2) are asked about their injuries by the oral health care provider; 3) are given referral and/or assistance; and 4) if they would like their injuries to be recognized by the dental professional. Although numerous studies report that the majority of domestic violence (DV) victims sustain head and neck injuries, few dentists recognize that DV is a problem that their patients may encounter. A 14-question survey was developed and mailed to 15 domestic violence shelters in the North Texas area. Eleven of 15 shelters participated in the study, for an institutional response rate of 73.3%. Each shelter was mailed 15 surveys and of the total number of surveys mailed (N= 165), 112 were returned for an overall response rate of 67.8%. Descriptive statistics were analyzed and a one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to determine whether the participants’ age, race, or sex was statistically significant in determining the likelihood of abuse. The majority (76%) of participants had suffered from a head, neck, or mouth injury as a result of abuse. Over half of participants had seen a dentist when signs of abuse were present, yet 88.6% were not asked about their injuries. In addition, 69.2% responded that they would have liked to have been asked about their injuries. Of the total 112 participants, 76% have experienced an abusive head, neck, or mouth injury due to domestic violence. A one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) found statistically significant differences in abuse rates for different ethnic groups. African Americans and Native Americans had significantly higher abuse rates (p < .05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]