TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2024//
TI  - A descriptive study of domestic and family violence presentations to an emergency department in the Northern Territory
JO  - Emergency medicine Australasia
A1  - Owen, Lucy
A1  - Hare Breidahl, Sibella
A1  - Mussared, Maud
A1  - Brownlea, Sandra
A1  - Kault, David
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - OBJECTIVE: Examine the nature of domestic and family violence (DFV) presentations to an ED in the Northern Territory and identify potential gaps in service delivery. <br><br>METHODS: Prospective descriptive study of DFV presentations in November 2021. <br><br>RESULTS: A total of 70 presentations were identified, representing 1.2% of all presentations aged 16 years and older. Disproportionately impacted were First Nations people (90%), women (77.1%) and those aged less than 40 years (67.1%). Most (81.4%) arrived outside of business hours and only 37.1% were assessed by the social worker. Case complexity was increased by high rates of homelessness (30%), concurrent alcohol consumption (44.3%) and pregnancy (11.1% of females). More than a third (37.1%) had attended on one to four occasions in the previous 6 months with a DFV-related injury. Compared to non-DFV attendances, the median ED length of stay was approximately twice as long (456 vs 210 min), admissions rates to the ED short stay unit five times higher (25.7% vs 5.7%; P < 0.01, odds ratio [OR] = 5.7 and 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.3-9.8) and rates of self-discharge prior to completion of care 9 times higher (12.9% vs 1.5%; P < 0.01, OR = 9.5 and 95% CI = 4.6-19.7). <br><br>CONCLUSION: The data highlights the need for a 24 h trauma-informed, culturally safe and integrated service to support people experiencing DFV. This could be achieved by a specialist unit designed and staffed by First Nations health practitioners.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1742-6731
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1742-6723.14418
ID  - ref1
ER  -