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1st appeared 30 October 1998 By Direct Communication, Health Professionals Help Immigrant Victims of Domestic Violence Health care providers can encourage the well-being of immigrant women whom they suspect are victims of domestic abuse through supportive and direct communication, according to a UCSF specialist in violence prevention. "Domestic violence is a painful subject, and we've found that many health professionals shy away from it or try to discuss it indirectly. For immigrant women, in particular, this approach often discourages their interest in seeking adequate medical care and social support," said Michael A. Rodriguez, a UCSF assistant professor of family and community medicine at San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center. In an effort to bridge the gap, Rodriguez and his colleagues conducted a research study to identify the factors that affect patient-physician communication among abused Latina and Asian women now living in the United States. Their project is believed to be the first to explore this topic from the perspective of abused immigrant women. Research results are published in the October issue of the Journal of Family Practice. Study participants said provider behaviors that instill trust and demonstrate compassion and understanding improve patient-provider interaction. Participants also said they wanted providers to initiate discussions about partner abuse. "As a group, the women in our research study face special barriers -- cultural background and often limited English -- that make the subject of abuse even more difficult to discuss. We were interested in their experiences, perceptions, and expectations when communicating with health care providers," said Rodriguez, who also is research director of the Pacific Center for Violence Prevention, an organization that designs and promotes public policies to reduce youth violence using a public health approach. The study involved 28 immigrant women who have lived in the US from 1-22 years. There were 14 Latinas from Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala and 14 Asians from China, Viet Nam, Korea, the Philippines, and Taiwan. Ranging in age from 18-64, all had experienced abuse within the previous two years. "Given the growing immigrant population in the US, we need to give greater consideration to the interaction of culture and ethnicity in effectively addressing domestic violence," Rodriguez said. "We do know from this project that medical providers have a vital role in facilitating or undermining communication about domestic violence through their understanding, sensitivity, and willingness to initiate discussion in the context of a supportive relationship."
Links: The Journal of Family Practice Source: Corinna Kaarlela, News Services |
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