Prospective intimate partner violence screening tool for use in primary healthcare facilities

Abstract

The study piloted an intimate partner violence (IPV) screening tool for use with female patients by professional nurses in primary health facilities. Utilising a one group, pre-test post-test design, one hundred and twenty-eight participants completed the pre-test measure (all females; age range = 40 to 50 years; with 15< years of work experience). As part of the study, they completed a brief 20-minute training session in IPV screening. Following the 20-minute training, the participants were provided with the IPV screening tool to use for a period of three-months. Sixty-three participants completed the post-test (all females; age range = 40 to 50 years; 11 to 15 years of work experience). At post-test, the nurses scored marginally higher on knowledge about IPV (n₁ = 128, 8,17±8,83) as well as on practices (such as screening for IPV: n₂=63, 2,44±2,68). Although the training effect was indiscernible, nurses trained in IPV screening would provide better quality care to female patients at risk for IPV compared to those without training.

Keywords:

• female patients
• intimate partner violence
• primary healthcare facilities
• professional nurses
• screening