![]() ![]() This also helps patients understand that violence is related to their health conditions and gives them permission to talk about it within the context of their health. Recognize risk factors for violence and traumatic stress and ask questions about experiences with violence.Learn and understand how to deliver trauma-informed care, which involves understanding the sources of trauma and how they interact within and between individuals and relate to health and healthcare utilization.Ways that family physicians can address the effects of violence on their patient population: ![]() Family physicians need to understand this link and work with patients to minimize the negative health effects associated with violence. ![]() In others, however, the effects of violence may not be obvious, and the physician may be unaware of histories of violence and trauma. Many patients who have been exposed to violence will present with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, substance abuse disorders, chronic pain syndromes, or chronic health problems such as diabetes or heart disease. There is a growing body of evidence linking the many forms of violence to adverse health effects. Based upon current understanding of the epidemiology of violence, family physicians cannot predict the total burden of violence in their patient population, but can draw some conclusions: 1) many patients have experienced one or more forms of violence and trauma 2) although risk varies among subpopulations, no economic, racial, religious, or other group is immune and 3) there are important age and gender differences in the types of violence for which people are most at risk. The World Health Organization defines violence as “the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, against another person or against a group or community, which either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, mal-development, or deprivation.”1 Every family physician knows patients in their practice who have experienced violence. ![]()
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