Value of Screening for Partner Violence in Women Questioned

Background: The frequency and impact of partner violence on women is increasingly recognized. As a result, multiple organizations, such as the Institute of Medicine, now recommend that primary care provide routine universal screening for such violence. However, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and similar review groups in Canada and the United Kingdom have concluded that, so far, evidence does not support the efficacy and impact of routine universal screening. Objective: To generate further knowledge about routine universal screening by designing a randomized controlled trial with a screening intervention that engages women through a confidential computerized self-administered screen and offers potential services and supports. Methods: The study involved 10 primary care clinics in Cook County, IL. Women ≥18 years of age who were seeking care were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups. One group received a computer-assisted, self-administered Partner Violence Screen instrument more...