Violence against women: analysis of emergency department presentations
Mustafa Serinken1, Cem Şengül2, Özgür Karcıoğlu3, Kemalettin Acar4, İbrahim Türkçüer1
1Pamukkale Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Acil Tıp Anabilim Dalı
2Pamukkale Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Psikiyatri Anabilim Dalı
3Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Acil Tıp Anabilim Dalı, İzmir
4Pamukkale Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Adli Tıp Anabilim Dalı, Denizli
Abstract
Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiological features of women exposed to physical force and provide data in order to develop preventing strategies. Materials and Methods: The charts of female patients admitted to the emergency department who were composed a forensic report between 2004 and 2006 were evaluated retrospectively.
Results: A total of 182 female patients were found to be eligible for the study. The mean age of the study cases was 31.7±12.2. Partners proceeded violence in one third of patients (33%, n=60). 10 (62.5%) of 16 patients over 65 years old were attacked by unfamiliar. Blunt trauma was the most seen injury (70.9%, n=129). The most traumatized regions were head and upper extremities, respectively (28.6%, n=52; 22.5%, n=41; respectively). Fourteen cases (7.7%) were assigned to have potentially life threatening injuries and four (2.2%) dead (three of them were gunshot injuries and one was stabbing).
Conclusion: Although the violence against women is high in our region, emergency department presentations are low. Strategies for preventing violence should develop by analyzing injury patterns and women under risk.