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Screening for and Disclosure of Domestic Violence during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of the PRICOV-19 Cross-Sectional Study in 33 Countries

Author

Listed:
  • Elizaveta Fomenko

    (Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Ines Keygnaert

    (Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Esther Van Poel

    (Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Claire Collins

    (Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
    Research Centre, Irish College of General Practitioners, D02 XR68 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Raquel Gómez Bravo

    (Centre Hospitalier Neuropsychiatrique, Rehaklinik, L-9002 Ettelbruck, Luxembourg
    Research Group Self-Regulation and Health, Institute for Health and Behaviour, Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, University of Luxembourg, L-4366 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg)

  • Päivi Korhonen

    (Department of General Practice, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, 20521 Turku, Finland)

  • Merja K. Laine

    (Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
    Folkhälsan Research Center, 00280 Helsinki, Finland)

  • Liubove Murauskiene

    (Public Health Department, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, LT-01513 Vilnius, Lithuania)

  • Athina Tatsioni

    (Research Unit for General Medicine and Primary Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece)

  • Sara Willems

    (Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic left no one untouched, and reports of domestic violence (DV) increased during the crisis. DV victims rarely seek professional help, yet when they do so, they often disclose it to their general practitioner (GP), with whom they have a trusting relationship. GPs rarely screen and hence rarely take the initiative to discuss DV with patients, although victims indicate that offering this opportunity would facilitate their disclosure. This paper aims to describe the frequency of screening for DV by GPs and disclosure of DV by patients to the GP during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify key elements that could potentially explain differences in screening for and disclosure of DV. The PRICOV-19 data of 4295 GP practices from 33 countries were included in the analyses, with practices nested in countries. Two stepwise forward clustered ordinal logistic regressions were performed. Only 11% of the GPs reported (much) more disclosure of DV by patients during COVID-19, and 12% reported having screened for DV (much). Most significant associations with screening for and disclosure of DV concerned general (pro)active communication. However, (pro)active communication was performed less frequently for DV than for health conditions, which might indicate that GPs are insufficiently aware of the general magnitude of DV and its impact on patients and society, and its approach/management. Thus, professional education and training for GPs about DV seems highly and urgently needed.

Suggested Citation

  • Elizaveta Fomenko & Ines Keygnaert & Esther Van Poel & Claire Collins & Raquel Gómez Bravo & Päivi Korhonen & Merja K. Laine & Liubove Murauskiene & Athina Tatsioni & Sara Willems, 2023. "Screening for and Disclosure of Domestic Violence during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of the PRICOV-19 Cross-Sectional Study in 33 Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-13, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:4:p:3519-:d:1071132
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mohler, George & Bertozzi, Andrea L. & Carter, Jeremy & Short, Martin B. & Sledge, Daniel & Tita, George E. & Uchida, Craig D. & Brantingham, P. Jeffrey, 2020. "Impact of social distancing during COVID-19 pandemic on crime in Los Angeles and Indianapolis," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    2. Piquero, Alex R. & Jennings, Wesley G. & Jemison, Erin & Kaukinen, Catherine & Knaul, Felicia Marie, 2021. "Domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic - Evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    3. Claire Collins & Els Clays & Esther Van Poel & Joanna Cholewa & Katica Tripkovic & Katarzyna Nessler & Ségolène de Rouffignac & Milena Šantrić Milićević & Zoran Bukumiric & Limor Adler & Cécile Ponsar, 2022. "Distress and Wellbeing among General Practitioners in 33 Countries during COVID-19: Results from the Cross-Sectional PRICOV-19 Study to Inform Health System Interventions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-13, May.
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