Abstract:
This project sought to determine the number of women seeking treatment in emergency departments who are identified as involved in an abusive relationship and have experienced mild brain injuries. Women seen by social workers for assessment at the time of emergency visit because of suspected domestic violence were asked brief screening questions to determine the frequency of blows to the head, altered consciousness due to trauma, and temporary or permanent consequences. Our findings revealed that among subjects who were identified and screened, a significant proportion had residual neurobehavioral symptoms that they associated with the occurrence of trauma to the head. The results of this study are consistent with previous studies that have found head trauma to be frequent among women who are victims of domestic violence.