Every nine seconds a woman in the U.S. is abused or assaulted, most often by an intimate partner. These dire statistics are behind a new recommendation by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force to see all women of childbearing age routinely screened for intimate partner violence.
Fox News is reporting that the Task Force, which is a government-appointed panel of experts, believes that all women between the ages of 14 and 46 could benefit from this kind of service. If screening revealed that a woman is a victim of intimate partner violence, she would then be referred for an intervention that could possibly help to prevent more violence.
According to the Task Force, an estimated 1.3 to 5.3 million women yearly experience violence at the hands of their partners, though these numbers are likely underestimates, because such violence often goes unreported , according to research cited by the panel.
Intimate partner violence brings many health risks for women , including injury and death, the panel said. Over the long term, victims of this violence are at an increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancy, along with chronic pain, neurological disorders, gastrointestinal disorders and migraine headaches. Mental health risks include depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, substance abuse and suicidal behavior.
In addition, babies born to women experiencing partner violence are at higher risk of preterm birth and low birth weight.
The last time the Task Force looked at this problem was in 2004 but at the time, it did not have enough evidence showing that the screening actually identified a potential victim, or that it led to decreases in violence.
Since then, new studies have found that available tests are accurate and randomized trials show that interventions – such as counseling, home visits, and referrals to community services – do reduce the physical and mental harm done to abused women.
The draft of their recommendation is now open for public comment, and will undergo further review before the panel votes on whether to approve it.
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