Intimate partner violence screening in the emergency department: U.S. medical residents' perspectives.

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is physical, psychological, or sexual harm committed by a current or former partner, spouse, boy/girlfriend. In the United States, the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (2003) estimates that 1.5 million women experience physical assault each year while the lifetime prevalence rate of IPV for women reaches almost 30%.

Intimate partner violence among midlife and older women: a descriptive analysis of women seeking medical services.

Although intimate partner violence (IPV) may occur throughout a woman's life course, there has been a paucity of research on the experiences of victimization among midlife and older women. This article examines both the prevalence of IPV among a sample of women ages 50 to 64 (N=620), who were recruited at an emergency department and primary care clinics in an urban setting, and the associated factors for the subsample of these women who reported IPV (n=34). More than 5 percent of the women reported experiencing some form of abuse by their partners within the past two years.

Predictors of condom use and HIV testing among midlife and older women seeking medical services.

Objective: This study examines correlates and predictors of sexual HIV risk reported by a sample of midlife and older women (M age = 56.01 years, SD = 4.34).

Talking cancer, saving lives: breast cancer awareness training for health professionals in Hong Kong.

A two-day training program aimed at promoting breast cancer awareness and utilization of breast cancer screening in Hong Kong was presented to a group of breast cancer survivors and mid-level health and social services professionals (n = 75). Using a training of trainer model, six modules were presented covering biological, psycho-social, sexual, and quality of life issues relating to breast cancer. Self-administered pre-test, post-test, and follow-up measures were used to determine participants' knowledge about breast cancer related issues and their self-perceived competence to discuss these issues professionally.

Considering HIV risk and intimate partner violence among older women of color: a descriptive analysis.

This study describes the types of intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual HIV-risk factors reported by a sample of 139 African American and Latina women ages 50 and older receiving care in outpatient clinics of an urban medical center. Additionally, we obtained estimates of the associations between experiencing IPV in a primary heterosexual relationship and the following HIV-risk behaviors among our sample of older minority women: (a) having multiple sexual partners, (b) STD history, (c) partner-related risk (i.e.

A follow-up study of women with cancer: their psychosocial well-being and close relationships.

The psychological and social consequences of having a diagnosis of cancer can continue beyond the initial year of diagnosis. However, very few empirical studies examine the long-term adjustment of cancer survivors and the factors that promote survivors' well-being. This paper presents an 18 month follow-up study of 26 women who were treated for various types of cancer at a major medical center in the United States.

The role of community consultants in designing an HIV prevention intervention.

This article describes the significant role of community members during the intervention development phase of a randomized clinical trial of an HIV prevention intervention for African American and Latina women and their main sexual partners. Sixteen women and 13 male partners were engaged as "consultants" in a series of focus group discussions aimed at exploring their reactions and ideas about potential topics and approaches for the intervention. Each individual participated in three focus groups-two single-sex groups and a third that brought women and their male partners together.

Advancing social work practice in end-of-life care.

Insufficient training of health professionals has often been cited as a major barrier to improving the system of care for dying patients and for the bereaved. Although specific problems have been identified for physicians and nurses, the problems of social work in this substantive area have only recently been explored. This study used a practitioner survey, focus groups, and a survey of faculty of schools of social work to broaden the information base.

Parental bereavement: spiritual connections with deceased children.

Of a sample of 43 bereaved parents of pediatric cancer patients, 38 reported experiencing feelings of continued connection with their deceased child. Analysis of the data revealed several consistent themes in the experiences and in their impact on the parental bereavement process. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed.

A relational perspective of women coping with cancer: a preliminary study.

To understand fully how a woman copes with cancer, researchers must examine the relational context in which a woman lives, copes, and meets the demands of a life-threatening illness. This paper presents preliminary findings of a study involving thirty-four mothers who have cancer. Survey methods involving a questionnaire were used to look at the relationship of the factors of mutuality, silencing the self schemas, and relationship-focused coping to the psychosocial adaptation to cancer.