Women's Evaluation of a randomised controlled trial for Abuse and Violence in General Practice [ 2007 - 2009 ]

Research Grant

Researchers: Prof Kelsey Hegarty (Principal investigator) ,  Prof Angela Taft ,  Prof Gene Feder ,  Prof Jane Gunn ,  Prof Jill Astbury
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Brief description Domestic violence or intimate partner abuse (physical, emotional or sexual) is a common hidden problem for women attending general practice. It has major emotional and physical consequences for abused women of child bearing age and as a result they use medical services more frequently than non abused women. Doctors are often the first professional person that abused women tell and women report that doctors who have good communication skills encourage disclosure. This study will evaluate a brief counselling intervention for abused women in general practice using a randomised controlled trial. General practice staff (general practitioners and-or practice nurses) will be randomised either to be intensively trained to deliver the intervention and their practice systems improved for care of abused women or to be given information to ensure minimum safe practice and deliver 'usual care' to abused women. The primary aim of the intervention is to increase abused women's safety behaviours and planning and improve their mental health and quality of life. Secondary aims include increasing their readiness for change and action with regard to abuse, and their comfort to discuss abuse with general practitioners-practice nurses and general practitioners-practice nurses inquiry about safety. It is not expected that in a twelve month period that any intervention with women will be able to decrease the abuse women experience as women cannot control their partners' behaviour and to leave is not necessarily going to end the violence and abuse. Rather, the intervention and outcomes will look at women's pathway and decision making around seeking safety and non-violence. A cost effective analysis will also be undertaken using health service use by women and costs of the intervention.

Funding Amount $AUD 679,718.33

Funding Scheme NHMRC Project Grants

Notes Standard Project Grant