A 10-year retrospective analysis of intimate partner violence patients in the emergency department

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an important human rights problem faced by one in three women worldwide. The aim of this study is to evaluate the demographic, trauma, and radiological characteristics of patients admitted to a tertiary emergency department due to IPV. METHODS: Sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, education level, and marital status), trauma characteristics (severity, type, and location), radiological imaging findings (radiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging) of patients diagnosed with IPV were evaluated. RESULTS: In the study, 1225 patients were evaluated, and 98.7% of them were women (mean age 35 [IQR: 17] years). Of the patients, 63.1% were high school and university graduates. The rate of married women was 74.6%. No relationship was found between gender, age, educational status, and marital status (p>0.05). Most of the traumas were minor (85.4%) and blunt (81.9%) trauma, and the most common types of trauma were kicking (49.9%) and punching (47.3%). It was found that the most frequently affected areas of the patients were the head and neck (76.7%), and the frequency of pelvic trauma was high in male patients (p<0.05). The most common bone fracture was nasal (40.5%) followed by ulna fractures (14.5%). The left-sided diaphyseal fractures were the most common in patients exposed to IPV. In our study, the frequency of mortality was 12.9%, and it was found to be significantly higher in males (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Female patients are more frequently exposed to IPV. Specific injury characteristics can be detected in patients diagnosed with IPV and old fractures detected in these patients should alert the clinician about IPV.