Battered Women: A Medical Problem Requiring Detection

A one month study of the surgical and psychiatric service of a university hospital emergency room identified thirty-seven women coming for treatment as a result of physical abuse. Thirty-three of the thirty-seven women presented at the surgical services are represented 3.8 per cent of surgical admissions in the emergency room. These women came from all ages, social and ethnic groups. They usually presented with contusions or other injuries to the head and neck. The majority would not accept psychiatric treatment but were willing to discuss the problem with the emergency room physician if encouraged. The preventive implications of these findings for the nonpsychiatric physician are discussed.