Intimate Partner Violence Screening
Intimate partner violence is a serious concern affecting the health of individuals in the state. For this reason, it is vital to detect it at early stages and introduce preventive strategies. Thus, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (2017) offers the 4-question abuse assessment screen as one of the significant tools.
At the same time, the US Preventive Services Task Force (2018) introduces two other tools that might be useful. First, the HARK screening tool can be used in such cases (Sohal et al., 2007). Second, the partner violence screen (PVC) is a possible evaluation method (Feldhaus et al., 1997). All these methods might effectively determine the signs of violence and abuse.
Comparison of Screening Tools
Comparing the screening tools, it is vital to admit that they focus on similar issues. First, there are questions about safety in a relationship, as it is the primary factor that shows problems in communication with the partner. Second, they ask about the signs of physical violence and use of force, which is also critical to determine (Feldhaus et al., 1997). Finally, the tools focus on investigating the problem of sexual abuse and rape, whether a partner was forced to have sex. In such a way, the investigated approaches might be viewed as similar ones.
Preferred Screening Tool
However, it is possible to admit the increased practical utility of the HARK screening tool and recommend it for use in practice. First, it has four questions focused on various aspects of intimate partner violence. At the same time, the tool offers categories, such as humiliation, fear, rape, and kick, that are vital for understanding the different aspects of abuse and their definition (Sohal et al., 2007).
Finally, it is understandable and can be easily used by individuals without specific knowledge about the problem. For this reason, it can be recommended as a screening tool used in real-life settings. It would help to detect cases of abuse and respond to them promptly.
References
Feldhaus, K. M., Koziol-McLain, J., Amsbury, H. L., Norton, I. M., Lowenstein, S. R., & Abbott, J. T. (1997). Accuracy of 3 brief screening questions for detecting partner violence in the emergency department. JAMA, 277(17), 1357-1361. Web.
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. (2017). Intimate partner violence: encouraging disclosure and referral in the primary care setting. City Health Information, 36(2), 9-16. Web.
Sohal, H., Eldridge, S., & Feder, G. (2007). The sensitivity and specificity of four questions (HARK) to identify intimate partner violence: A diagnostic accuracy study in general practice. BMC Family Practice, 8, 49. Web.
US Preventive Services Task Force. (2018). Screening for intimate partner violence, elder abuse, and abuse of vulnerable adults US Preventive Services Task Force final recommendation statement. JAMA, 320(16), 1678-1687. Web.