Health Stu Fac

OCTOBER 2005

Research
  • CDC Study Documents the High Costs and Impact of IPV on Male and Female Victims
    • Resources and Information
  • Look to End Abuse Permanently (LEAP)
  • A Domestic Violence Campus Organizing Guide for Health Professional Students and Faculty
    • Announcements
  • Planning the 2006 UCSF Student-Led Violence Prevention Conference
  • Paul Ambrose Political Leadership Institute
  • Highlights from Health Cares About Domestic Violence Day
    • Calendar Notes
  • NCFR Workshop: Promoting the Safety of Women and their Children when Women Separate from Violence Partners
  • Camp Sheila Wellstone Sacramento

    • RESEARCH

    CDC Study Documents the High Costs and Impact of IPV on Male and Female Victims

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released results of the first study including male and female victims that determines the healthcare costs and impact of domestic violence incidents. The study was co-authored by Ileana Arias, Ph.D., director of CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, and was published in the journal Violence and Victims. This study found that the health care costs attributed to a domestic violence incident were $948 in incidents with a female victim and $387 in incidents with a male victim. The study also found that domestic violence against women results in more ER visits, inpatient hospitalizations, and greater use of physician services than domestic violence against men. "This study clearly shows the true impact of domestic violence," said Arias. "Domestic violence, especially against women, causes a range of emotional, physical, and financial harm for victims and their families. We need to continue our efforts to prevent this type of violence, including broadening our focus to also address the needs of men who are victims."

    CDC researchers determined healthcare costs by looking at mental health services; the use of medical services such as emergency departments, inpatient hospitals, and physician services; and losses in productivity such as time off from work, childcare or household duties because of injuries. The average medical cost for women victimized by physical domestic violence was $483 compared to $83 for men; mental health services costs for women was $207 compared to $80 for men; while productivity losses were similar at $257 for women and $224 for men.

    Phaedra Corso, Ph.D., a CDC economist and the study's other author, noted that a previous CDC study using 1995 data that was published in 2003 provided estimates of the total direct healthcare costs of domestic violence. According to Corso, that study estimated the direct healthcare costs associated with domestic violence to be around $4.1 billion. In addition, the study estimated that domestic violence caused an estimated $1.8 billion in productivity losses associated with injuries and premature death. "Unfortunately, we believe the estimates using 1995 data are conservative because many cases of domestic violence are not reported," Corso said. "In today's dollars, the health care and productivity costs are likely to be much greater. Ultimately, the economic burden of domestic violence impacts all of society. Hospitals, workplaces, and communities must devote and be able to provide resources to treating and assisting victims, while the criminal justice system, mental health providers, employers and the community must bear a variety of other costs."

    This brief was summarized from ATLANTA, U.S. Newswire, October 25.

    RESOURCES AND INFORMATION

    Look to End Abuse Permanently (LEAP)

    Looking for a website about domestic violence geared specifically towards health care providers? Look no further. Look to End Abuse Permanently (LEAP) has been a leader in the movement to improve the response of the health care system in San Francisco to domestic violence. LEAP's website is a ideal resource for medical students on their clinical rotations because it is a quick way to get patient materials, reminders on how to address DV, and up to date phone lists with emergency numbers. Please visit LEAP at http://www.leapsf.org.

    A Domestic Violence Campus Organizing Guide for Health Professional Students and Faculty

    Health professional students and faculty hold a particularly unique role in enacting change in response to domestic violence in medical practice and policy. Students can propose changes to their curriculum and educate their fellow classmates and practicing physicians about the most current evidence based medicine relating to domestic violence.

    To support students in being part of the national push to improve health curricula in this area, a new organizing folio, A Domestic Violence Campus Organizing Guide for Health Professional Students and Faculty, was co-created by Family Violence Prevention Fund staff and a second year medical student, and is co-sponsored by the American Medical Students Association and American Physical Therapists Association.

    This folio identifies organizing strategies for professional health students and faculty to help raise awareness that domestic violence is a health care issue on campus and beyond. The folio provides recommendations on increasing student activism, curricular reform, on-campus trainings, community collaborations, faculty support, and provides examples of innovative approaches other professional health students have undertaken nationwide. The folio includes a domestic violence assessment card, national resources and referrals, and provides an overview of the associated health effects of domestic violence outlining the provider’s role.

    To view and order the folio visit our website or call 888-Rx-ABUSE, TTY (800) 595-4889.

    ANNOUNCEMENTS

    Planning the 2006 UCSF Student-Led Violence Prevention Conference

    Either Saturday January 21, 2006 or Saturday January 28, 2006; From about 8 am to 5 pm

    Do you live in the San Francisco Bay Area? Would you like to attend or present at a student-led, daylong violence prevention conference open to UCSF students and the community at large? Each year UCSF health professional students organize a violence prevention conference consisting of guest speakers and small group breakout sessions on issues such as child abuse, teen dating violence, IPV, elder abuse, and international violence. This year's focus is on interdisciplinary work to effect change. We will have a speaker on public awareness campaigns, a speaker on basic science research of the health sequelae of abuse, and a health provider panel on how to assess for DV in clinic, in addition to small group sessions lead by experts on specific areas of violence research and community activism. If you are interested in attending this exciting daylong conference, or have experience in a focused area and would like to lead a breakout session, please email Aruna Venkatesan at arunavenk@gmail.com.

    Paul Ambrose Political Leadership Institute

    The American Medical Student Association is announcing the 2005-06 Paul Ambrose Political Leadership Institute (PLI). The Paul Ambrose PLI focuses on teaching political and activist techniques within the context of public health and health policy issues. Participants will be assigned a public health topic on the first day of the workshop and will work as a team to produce sound bites, policy briefing papers, a speech, and a legislative strategy for that issue. The FVPF encourages you to apply within the context of domestic violence. On the final day, participants will go to Capitol Hill for a lobby visit with their Congressional Representatives.

    The Paul Ambrose Political Leadership Institute seeks medical and premedical students who have demonstrated leadership skills, commitment to public health, and a strong interest in politics. You do not need extensive experience in health policy, only a passion and desire to learn and do more. Each school can nominate a student for each of the three sessions. If you want to participate, speak with your dean of students to receive a letter of support to include with your application. We ask that the school provide the cost of transportation for each student to demonstrate their commitment to and support of physician leadership.

    There will be three PLIs this year: - December 3-5, 2005. Applications due by October 24, 2005 - January 21-23, 2006. Applications due by December 12, 2005 - February 25-27, 2006. Applications due by January 16, 2006

    Applications are now available on-line at http://www.amsa.org/hp/hpli.cfm. Please contact Chris McCoy, AMSA's Legislative Affairs Director, with questions at lad@www.amsa.org or 703-620-6600 x 211.

    If you are interested in applying within the context of Domestic Violence, you may be able to collaborate with the Washington D.C. office of the Family Violence Prevention Fund. If interested, contact Anna Marjavi at anna@endabuse.org.

    Highlights from Health Cares About Domestic Violence Day

    The seventh annual Health Cares About Domestic Violence Day (HCADV Day) took place on October 12 and was a great success. This nationally recognized day involved thousands of health care providers, domestic violence advocates and other concerned individuals who organized events in their settings to strengthen the health care response to domestic violence. This year’s effort focused on organizing health professional students and faculty at various schools across the country.

    Project Highlights include:

    * Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine Students set up a table during lunch to educate students and faculty about DV.

    * At Stanford University Medical School, a student supplied Pacific Free Clinic, a student-run health clinic, with posters, pins, and safety cards. She also used the Physicians for Social Responsibility lunchtime elective to talk about the impact of DV.

    * The AMSA Chapter President at Eastern Virginia Medical School helped organize Forty second-year medical students to take patient and provider tools to the 100 physicians whom they shadow, and stock bathrooms with cards and posters.

    * Linda Winston, VA Department of Health, VA Commonwealth University, and VA Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance worked on a collaborative project with the Medical College of Virginia, agencies from 3 surrounding counties, and schools of dentistry, nursing, and forensic nursing, aiming to provide materials/resources to patients and providers in the main building of the hospital all day.

    CALENDAR NOTES

    Camp Sheila Wellstone Sacramento

    November 2nd-3rd, 2005

    Camp Sheila Wellstone is an intensive 2-day training program that provides advocates working in domestic violence and sexual assault with skills to build the movement to end violence against women and children. We offer training in the areas of action planning, grassroots organizing and mobilizing, message and media, and political engagement. Meals will be provided. The cost is free to participants. If accommodations are needed, a block of reduced-rate rooms are being held at the Holiday Inn for $124/night.

    Registration is available online at https://www.thedatabank.com/dpg/114campsw/

    Camp Sheila Wellstone Sacramento is sponsored in part by the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, California Coalition Against Sexual Assault, and the Family Violence Prevention Fund.

    NCFR Workshop: Promoting the Safety of Women and their Children when Women Separate from Violence Partners

    Tuesday, November 15, 8:00am-5:00pm (Registration opens at 7:30am)

    Hyatt Regency Phoenix, Remingtom A/B/C

    The National Council on Family Relations presents this pre-conference workshop. The workshop chair is Jennifer L. Hardesty, PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana. Continuing education credits are available from APA, NASW (Metro Washington Chapter), CFLE, and NBCC. Fees are $40 (member) and $60 (non-member).

    Additional scheduling and registration information is available at http://www.ncfr.org. If you have questions, contact Jennifer Hardesty at hardesty@uiuc.edu.

    Health Students and Faculty Against Domestic Violence is a monthly listserv aimed to network health students and faculty from across the country who are interested in improving the health sector response to domestic violence. To subscribe email arunavenk@gmail.com.

    We encourage you to use this listserv to announce upcoming events you are planning or to pose questions to the group. To post an announcement or ask a question, send an e-mail to arunavenk@gmail.com.

    The listserv is moderated by Aruna Venkatesan, Health Intern with the Family Violence Prevention Fund and First Year Medical Student at the University of California, San Francisco

    Thank you for contributing to our community!

    To learn more please visit our website http://www.endabuse.org/health