A 10-year retrospective analysis of intimate partner violence patients in the emergency department

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an important human rights problem faced by one in three women worldwide. The aim of this study is to evaluate the demographic, trauma, and radiological characteristics of patients admitted to a tertiary emer- gency department due to IPV. METHODS: Sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, education level, and marital status), trauma characteristics (severity, type, and location), radiological imaging findings (radiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging) of patients diagnosed with IPV were evaluated. RESULTS: In the study, 1225 patients were evaluated, and 98.7% of them were women (mean age 35 [IQR: 17] years). Of the pa- tients, 63.1% were high school and university graduates. The rate of married women was 74.6%. No relationship was found between gender, age, educational status, and marital status (p>0.05). Most of the traumas were minor (85.4%) and blunt (81.9%) trauma, and the most common types of trauma were kicking (49.9%) and punching (47.3%). It was found that the most frequently affected areas of the patients were the head and neck (76.7%), and the frequency of pelvic trauma was high in male patients (p