Ignoring the Violence Healthcare Policy Recommendations for the Prevention of Community Violence Re-Victimization

• Published in: Journal of health & social policy Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 45 - 53
• Main Authors: Rapp-Paglicci, Lisa, Dulmus, Catherine N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis Group 2001
• Subjects: Clinics; Crime prevention; Crime Victims - psychology; Delivery Systems; Female; health care; Health Care Services; Health Care Services Policy; Health Policy; Humans; Intervention; medical centers; Medical service; Patient Readmission; Prevention; Public health; Social aspects; Social policy; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - diagnosis; Substance-Related Disorders - diagnosis; United States; United States - epidemiology; victim intervention; Victimization; Victims; Victims of crime; Violence; Violence - prevention & control; Violence - statistics & numerical data; violence prevention; Violent victimization; United States
• ISSN: 0897-7186; 1540-4064
• DOI: 10.1300/J045v14n02_03

Medical centers see 1.4 million serious violent crime victims every year and are the most likely places to intervene for preventing and reducing violence. However, very few medical centers evaluate patients beyond physical conditions, and very few complete toxicology or psychosocial screens to evaluate for substance abuse and psychological conditions as a result of trauma. Unfortunately, victims of violence are given medical assistance and discharged without recognition of the serious aftereffects of trauma both for themselves and their families. This manuscript discusses the chronicity and consequences of violent victimization, related health care policies that impede violence prevention and victim intervention, and concludes with a proposal for improved policies in the health care arena.