Citation

Al Maskari S. J. Bone Joint Surg. Am. 2022; 104(6): e24.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery)

DOI

10.2106/JBJS.21.01463

PMID

35293893

Abstract

Although most orthopaedic surgeons are aware of and actively look for warning signs of child abuse and non-accidental injury in children, the same cannot be said about their encounters with victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). It is estimated that 30% to 55% of female homicides are due to IPV compared with 5% of male homicides and that the majority of these victims have had an encounter with public services, including health services, in the year preceding their death1. Recent epidemiological studies in this area have shown that musculoskeletal injuries are second only to head and neck injuries in victims of IPV2. This means that many of these victims may have had an encounter with an orthopaedic surgeon in either the emergency room or a fracture clinic. Unfortunately, these encounters are unlikely to have resulted in any preventive action through referral to an appropriate victim support social service. A survey of members of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association revealed some astonishing results when it comes to awareness of and attitudes toward IPV. These results included orthopaedic surgeons' misconceptions that the victim is benefiting from the abusive relationship, the victim has an abuse-inducing personality, and the violence would stop if the abusive partner stopped drinking alcohol3. Only 4% of respondents screened for IPV in female patients. The actual percentage in the profession at large is likely to be much lower. Exemplifying the increased interest in this area, a number of epidemiological studies using large data sets and specialized clinical studies attempted to identify musculoskeletal injury types that are more common in IPV victims...

Language: en