Effect of an In-Clinic IPV Advocate Intervention to Increase Help Seeking, Reduce Violence, and Improve Well-Being

• Published in: Violence against women Vol. 18; no. 1; pp. 118 - 131
• Main Authors: Coker, Ann L., Smith, Paige H., Whitaker, Daniel J., Le, Brenda, Crawford, Timothy N., Flerx, Vicki C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.01.2012; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Adult; Advocacy; Ambulatory Care Facilities; Battered Women; Depression; Depression - prevention & control; Domestic violence; Evaluation; Female; Females; Follow-Up Studies; Health; Health care; Help Seeking Behavior; Humans; Intervention; Male; Mental depression; Partner Abuse; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Patient Advocacy; Referral and Consultation; Rural Areas; Sexual Partners; Social Support; Southern States; Spouse Abuse - prevention & control; Spouse Abuse - psychology; Standard of Care; Treatment Outcome; U.S.A; United States; United States of America; Violence; Well Being; Women; Women's Health Services; United States; Southern states; evaluation; abuse; depression; intervention; health care; women
• ISSN: 1077-8012; 1552-8448
• DOI: 10.1177/1077801212437908

This quasi-experimental study investigated the efficacy of clinic-based advocacy for intimate partner violence (IPV) to increase help seeking, reduce violence, and improve women’s well-being. Eligible and consenting women attending one of six selected clinics in the rural Southern United States were assessed for IPV. Consenting women disclosing IPV were offered either an in-clinic advocate intervention or usual care, depending on the clinic they attended and were followed for up to 24 months. Over follow-up time both IPV scores and depressive symptoms trended toward greater decline among women in the advocate intervention clinics relative to the usual care (business card referral only).