From Public Health to Personal Health: Violence against Women across the Life Span

Editorials15 November 1995From Public Health to Personal Health: Violence against Women across the Life SpanAnne Flitcraft, MDAnne Flitcraft, MDUniversity of Connecticut Health Center New Haven, CT 06511Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-123-10-199511150-00009 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail One hundred years ago, 90% of childhood deaths were caused by natural causes; this figure has steadily decreased. By 1985, only 36% of all childhood deaths were due to natural causes, and only 25% of all urban children died of natural causes. Do these percentages represent a victory for modern medicine or a profound failure? Perhaps these numbers are a testament to the success of efforts to provide clean water, improved nutrition, enhanced access to prenatal care, and prevention of infectious disease—a victory for modern medicine. But if children are not dying of natural causes, they are dying of an ...References1. Rosenberg ML, Mercy JA. Assaultive violence. In: Rosenau MJ, Maxcy KF, Last JM, eds. Public Health and Preventive Medicine. 13th ed. Norwalk, CT: Appleton and Lange; 1992:1035-9. Google Scholar2. McFarlane J, Parker B, Soeken K, Bullock L. Assessing for abuse during pregnancy. Severity and frequency of injuries and associated entry into prenatal care. JAMA. 1992; 267:3176-8. Google Scholar3. Violence against women. Relevance for medical practitioners. Council of Scientific Affairs, American Medical Association. JAMA. 1992; 267:3184-9. Google Scholar4. Saltzman LE, Mercy JA, Rosenberg ML, Elsea WR, Napper G, Sikes RK, et al. Magnitude and patterns of family and intimate assault in Atlanta, Georgia, 1984. Collaborative Working Group for the Study of Family and Intimate Assaults in Atlanta. Violence Vict. 1990; 5:3-17. Google Scholar5. McCauley J, Kern DE, Kolodner K, Dill D, Schroeder AF, DeChant HK, et al. The "battering syndrome": prevalence and clinical characteristics of domestic violence in primary care internal medicine practices. Ann Intern Med. 1995; 123:737-46. Google Scholar6. Abbott J, Johnson R, Koziol-McLain J, Lowenstein SR. Domestic violence against women. Incidence and prevalence in an emergency department population. JAMA. 1995; 273:1763-7. Google Scholar7. Drossman DA, Talley NJ, Leserman J, Olden KW, Barreiro MA. Sexual and physical abuse and gastrointestinal illness. Review and recommendations. Ann Intern Med. 1995; 123:782-94. Google Scholar8. Weinberg RB. Communion. Ann Intern Med. 1995; 123:804-5. Google Scholar9. Haber JD, Roos C. Effects of spouse abuse in the development and maintenance of chronic pain in women. Advances in Pain Research. 1985; 9:889-95. Google Scholar10. Burgess AW, Holmstrom LL. Rape trauma syndrome. In: Burgess AW, Holmstrom LL, eds. Rape: Victims of Crisis. Bowie, MD: Brady; 1974. Google Scholar11. Herman JL. Trauma and Recovery. New York: Basic Books; 1992. Google Scholar12. Stark ED, Flitcraft AH. Spouse abuse. In: Rosenberg ML, Fenley MA, eds. Violence in America: A Public Health Approach. New York: Oxford University Pr; 1991. Google Scholar13. Koss MP, Koss PG, Woodruff WJ. Deleterious effects of criminal victimization on women's health and medical utilization. Arch Intern Med. 1991; 151:342-7. Google Scholar14. Kendall-Tackett HA, Williams LM, Finkelhor D. Impact of sexual abuse on children: a review and synthesis of recent empirical studies. Psychol Bull. 1993; 113:164-80. Google Scholar15. Alpert EJ. Violence in intimate relationships and the practicing internist: new "disease" or new agenda? Ann Intern Med. 1995; 123:774-81. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Anne Flitcraft, MDAffiliations: University of Connecticut Health Center New Haven, CT 06511Corresponding Author: Anne Flitcraft, MD, DVTP, 900 State Street, New Haven, CT 06511. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoThe "Battering Syndrome": Prevalence and Clinical Characteristics of Domestic Violence in Primary Care Internal Medicine Practices Jeanne McCauley , David E. Kern , Ken Kolodner , Laurie Dill , Arthur F. Schroeder , Hallie K. DeChant , Janice Ryden , Eric B. Bass , and Len R. Derogatis Violence in Intimate Relationships and the Practicing Internist: New "Disease" or New Agenda? Elaine J. Alpert Sexual and Physical Abuse and Gastrointestinal Illness: Review and Recommendations Douglas A. Drossman , Nicholas J. Talley , Jane Leserman , Kevin W. Olden , and Marcelo A. Barreiro Metrics Cited byFood insecurity and violence in a prospective cohort of women at risk for or living with HIV in the U.S.Investigating Partner Abuse Among HIV-Positive Men Who have Sex with MenMedical StoriesThe epistemically virtuous clinicianSynergistic effects of child abuse and intimate partner violence on depressive symptoms in womenIntimate Partner Violence and Cigarette Smoking: Association Between Smoking Risk and Psychological Abuse With and Without Co-Occurrence of Physical and Sexual AbusePost-traumatic Responses of Abused Women to Marital ViolenceAdolescent Pregnancy and Homicide: Findings From the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, 1994-1998Battering Victimization Among a Probability-Based Sample of Men Who Have Sex With MenPrevalence of battering among 1780 outpatients at an internal medicine institution in MexicoCHILDBEARING EXPERIENCES OF ABUSED HISPANIC WOMENPrevalence of Intimate Partner Abuse Among Nurses and Nurses' Aides in MexicoScreening for intimate partner violence by health care providersBarriers and interventionsIdentification and management of domestic violenceA randomized trial1Domestic violence and childhood sexual abuse in HIV-infected women and women at risk for HIVEconomic Context and Multiple Abuse TechniquesA guide to the literature on aggressive behavior 15 November 1995Volume 123, Issue 10 Page: 800-802 Keywords Assault Domestic violence Epidemiology Health care Health care providers Pregnancy Prevention, policy, and public health Psychiatry and mental health Safety Substance abuse ePublished: 15 August 2000 Issue Published: 15 November 1995 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1995 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...