Screening for partner violence doesn't improve outcomes

Whether or not women were screened for partner violence and provided with a resource list, the health outcomes were exactly the same, according to a new JAMA study. The 2,708 women seeking care in outpatient clinics who participated in the randomized clinical trial received a computerized partner violence screening and a local resource list, while a second group received just a resource list and a third received neither screening nor a resource list. There were no differences in the women's quality of life, days lost from work or house work, use of healthcare services over three years, partner violence services, or the recurrence of partner violence after one year. "The consistency of the results at a one year and three years contributes to greater confidence in the findings," the authors wrote. "These null findings are consistent with other trials in primary care settings. Research should focus on more intensive interventions among women already identified as abused." Study abstract