Interpersonal violence presentations to general practitioners in Western Australia: implications for rural and community health
Lynn B. Meuleners A , Andy H. Lee A C , Jianhong Xia B , Michelle Fraser A and Delia Hendrie AA School of Public Health, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, GPO Box U 1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia. Email: l.meuleners@curtin.edu.au; m.fraser@exchange.curtin.edu.au; d.v.hendrie@curtin.edu.au
B Department of Spatial Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U 1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia. Email: c.xia@curtin.edu.au
C Corresponding author. Email: andy.lee@curtin.edu.au
Australian Health Review 35(1) 70-74 https://doi.org/10.1071/AH10913
Submitted: 30 April 2010 Accepted: 11 July 2010 Published: 25 February 2011
Abstract
Objective. To estimate the incidence of interpersonal violence presentations to general practitioners (GPs).
Methods. A postal survey of all GPs in Western Australia (WA) was conducted in 2009 using a structured questionnaire.
Results. Among the n = 476 respondents (response rate 28%), 379 GPs treated 9572 patients for a violent incident during the past year. The rate of violent presentations in rural WA was double that of metropolitan areas (incident rate ratio (IRR) 1.9, 95% CI 1.8–2.0), whereas the rate of violent episodes in remote GP practices was 7-fold higher (IRR 7.2, 95% CI 6.8–7.6). Halls Creek in remote northern WA was found to be a ‘hot spot’ with a high cluster of violence cases, whereas metropolitan suburbs surrounding Perth had relatively low concentrations of violence presentations.
Conclusions. Further understanding of the size and nature of the problem is required in view of the low response rate. High-risk groups, such as women and those living in rural and remote areas, should be targeted for special attention.
What is known about the topic? Previous studies of interpersonal violence have been based on victim surveys or crime databases, which are subjected to both under- and over-reporting. Hospital admission and mortality statistics represent severe injuries resulting from violence episodes. However, victims who sought treatment from GPs are not routinely recorded.
What does this paper add? Rural and remote GP practices reported a higher incident of violent presentations than their metropolitan counterparts. The finding provides a basis to further investigate the level of GP services for treating interpersonal violence injuries.
What are the implications for practitioners? Sentinel surveillance of GPs is recommended. High-risk groups such as women and those living in rural and remote areas should be targeted for attention.
Additional keywords: domestic violence, geographic information systems, hot spot analysis, victimisation, violence episodes.
References
[1] Fernandez J, Ferrante A, Loh N, Maller M, Valuri G. Crime and Justice Statistics for Western Australia: 2003. Perth: University of Western Australia, Crime Research Centre; 2004.[2] Community Violence Prevention Strategy Reference Group. Preventing Violence: The State Community Violence Prevention Strategy 2005. A Green Paper Policy Framework for Development. Perth, WA: Office of Crime Prevention, Department of Premier and Cabinet; 2005.
[3] Australian Social Trends 2007, Article: Interpersonal Violence, Cat. No. 4102.0. Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics; 2007.
[4] Meuleners L, Hendrie D, Lee AH. Measuring the burden of interpersonal violence victimisation in Western Australia, No. 352. Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology; 2008.
[5] Year Book Australia, 2006. Cat. No. 1301.0. Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics; 2006.
[6] Hegarty KL, Bush R. Prevalence and associations of partner abuse in women attending general practice: a cross-sectional survey. Aust N Z J Public Health 2002; 26 437–42.
| Prevalence and associations of partner abuse in women attending general practice: a cross-sectional survey.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 12413288PubMed |
[7] Mazza D, Dennerstein L, Ryan V. Physical, sexual and emotional violence against women: a general practice-based prevalence study. Med J Aust 1996; 164 14–7.
| 1:STN:280:DyaK287ks1OjsA%3D%3D&md5=64375fbcb822ee29249ab698e0b3c65bCAS | 8559088PubMed |
[8] Gavin A, Gillam C. Hospital admissions due to intimate partner violence in Western Australia 1994–2003. Perth: Western Australian Government; 2005.
[9] Hayen A, Mitchell R. A description of interpersonal violence-related hospitalisations in New South Wales. N S W Public Health Bull 2006; 17 8–12.
| A description of interpersonal violence-related hospitalisations in New South Wales.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 16855637PubMed |
[10] Clapham KF, Stevenson MR, Lo SK. Injury profiles of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in New South Wales. Med J Aust 2006; 184 217–20.
| 16515431PubMed |
[11] Krug EG, Dahlberg LL, Mercy JA, Zwi AB, Lozano R. World Report on Violence and Health. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2002.
[12] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Rural, regional and remote health: a guide to remoteness classifications. Cat. No. PHE 53. Canberra: AIHW; 2004.
[13] Meuleners LB, Hendrie D, Lee AH. Hospitalisations due to interpersonal violence: a population-based study in Western Australia. Med J Aust 2008; 188 572–5.
| 18484928PubMed |
[14] Mohajer N, Bessarab D, Earnest J. There should be more help out here! A qualitative study of the needs of aboriginal adolescents in rural Australia. Rural Remote Health 2009; 9 1137
| 19402759PubMed |
[15] Australian Bureau of Statistics. Crime and Safety, Australia. Cat. No. 4509.0. Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics; 2005.
[16] Cripps K. Indigenous family violence: a statistical challenge. Injury 2008; 39 S25–35.
| Indigenous family violence: a statistical challenge.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 19130914PubMed |
[17] Jamieson LM, Harrison JE, Berry JG. Hospitalisation for head injury due to assault among Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, July 1999–June 2005. Med J Aust 2008; 188 576–9.
| 18484929PubMed |
[18] VicHealth. The health costs of violence. Measuring the burden of disease caused by intimate partner violence. A summary of findings. Melbourne: Victorian Health Promotion Foundation; 2004.
[19] Alexander C, Fraser J. General practitioners’ management of patients with mental health conditions: the views of general practitioners working in rural north-western New South Wales. Aust J Rural Health 2008; 16 363–9.
| General practitioners’ management of patients with mental health conditions: the views of general practitioners working in rural north-western New South Wales.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 19032209PubMed |
[20] Sami DC, Hall P, Rounsevell J, Carr R. Shared care–shared dream: model of shared care in rural Australia between mental health services and general practitioners. Aust J Rural Health 2007; 15 31–40.
[21] Buchan H, Lourey E, D’Este C, Sanson-Fisher R. Effectiveness of strategies to encourage general practitioners to accept an offer of free access to online evidence-based information: a randomised controlled trial. Implement Sci 2009; 4 68
| Effectiveness of strategies to encourage general practitioners to accept an offer of free access to online evidence-based information: a randomised controlled trial.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 19840400PubMed |
[22] Rowe L, Kidd MR. Increasing violence in Australian general practice is a public health issue. Med J Aust 2007; 187 118–9.
| 17635098PubMed |
[23] Rutherford A, Zwi AB, Grove NJ, Butchart A. Violence: a priority for public health? (part 2). J Epidemiol Community Health 2007; 61 764–70.
| Violence: a priority for public health? (part 2).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 17699529PubMed |
