Orofacial Injuries as Markers for Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is physical or sexual violence made by 1 partner to another and is a prevalent and serious health risk, particularly for women. It is estimated that more than 2.5 million women are abused annually and 30% to 50% of all female homicides were perpetrated by former or current intimate partners. Beyond the physical and psychological repercussions, abuse victims have lower health-related quality of life and higher use of health services. A growing awareness f the scope and effects of IPV have led various health care bodies including the merican Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians and ynecologists to recommend that all female patients be asked routinely about abuse, egardless of their presenting injury or symptoms. These recommendations are based on available evidence about the burden of IPV and the benefits of provider referral for help. Early recognition and diagnosis of IPV and appropriate referral may lead to early intervention to prevent future injuries. However, there are no obvious linical characteristics to aid in the diagnosis of IPV. Current clinical standards for identifying IPV-related injury is patient self-report hrough either a spontaneous or a prompted disclosure. Other studies have uggested useful, but ambiguous, criteria for identifying victims of IPV seen in the mergency department and outpatient clinical setting. When interviewed, only % to 6% of women report being assaulted by their intimate sexual partners. hereas trauma to the head, face, shoulders, breast, abdomen or extremities is ften documented, the victim’s report of injury is frequently incompatible or nconsistent with the mechanism or location of injury. –10 Facial injuries account for a significant proportion of emergency department visits, yet, few reports specify the causes or patterns of orofacial injuries in victims with IPV-related injuries.