|
Abstract
|
Objective General practitioners (GPs) play an important role in identifying physical injuries caused by domestic violence. The aim of this study was to investigate the experience of this area.
Design Questionnaire survey.
Method In total, 412 GPs in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, were asked to complete a questionnaire on identifying physical violence and 251 questionnaires were returned (response rate 61%).
Results Sixty-five percent of the GPs indicated that their GP training programme had included how to identify physical abuse, and 64% had attended a refresher course on this. Education and GP characteristics appeared to be important factors influencing suspicions of physical abuse. Almost 75% of the GPs reported experiencing barriers and/or limitations when identifying physical abuse. The majority (70%) welcomed the idea of directly consulting a forensic doctor if they suspected physical abuse.
Conclusion A large proportion of GPs experienced difficulties when identifying physical abuse. Education and consultation with a forensic doctor could enable GPs to better identify physical abuse. |