Though this is frequently unacknowledged, physicians experience intimate partner violence (IPV) at a rate consistent with or higher than the national average (Reibling, et al., 2020). Some progress is being made, but there are still a number of significant barriers to reporting this experience.
Physicians and other healthcare professionals may be reluctant to seek medical care at an ER or urgent care out of fear they will run into a coworker or professional colleague.
The literature is clear that shame and embarrassment are frequently associated with IPV. For healthcare professionals, this shame is heightened when they also perceive a sense of “professional defectiveness” as it was phrased in a recent Australian study (McLindon E, Humphreys C, & Hegarty K., 2018).
In extreme cases, healthcare professionals experiencing IPV may have their professional judgment questioned, leading to loss of status or even licensure questions.
The difficulty in reporting IPV is heightened when both parties work for the same healthcare system and heightened further if they occupy different roles within the hierarchy of that healthcare system.
Medical culture of silence is another barrier. This silence co-occurs with the medical culture of sacrifice and selflessness but also with shame and stigma.
There are a number of logistical barriers to reporting intimate partner violence as well.
Healthcare workloads are notoriously demanding, and the resulting difficulty taking time off can be an additional barrier to reporting or leaving an intimate partner violence situation.
If you or someone you know are experiencing IPV, please know that you are not alone and that help is available.
The American College of Surgeons has convened an IPV Task Force and disseminated an IPV toolkit to increase awareness and support around this issue.
If a healthcare professional experiencing IPV chooses to disclose, there are also some possibilities for safety planning in the workplace. Ultimately, these decisions may be up to healthcare leadership and the security team, but awareness of potential options is vital.
It may be possible to look at changing scheduled shifts so that your schedule is less predictable to the assailant or so you can address needs that may arise after leaving a violent partner, such as additional childcare. Though difficult, it may also be possible to consider changing scheduled work locations. In some instances, there may be steps that can be taken to improve the security of the work area, such as panic buttons or duress alarms. Finally, the healthcare setting may choose to limit access to the healthcare professional experiencing intimate partner violence by screening calls, removing their information from the company directory, or scrubbing them from social media (Urbanek & Austin, 2024).
It is my hope that healthcare professionals who are not directly affected by IPV will expand their knowledge about the issue and their capability to respond. And for those who are directly impacted, I hope you can connect with whatever support you need, formal or informal. Additional resources follow.
References and Further Reading:
Dheensa, S., McLindon, E., Spencer, C., Pereira, S., Shrestha, S., Emsley, E., & Gregory, A. (2022). Healthcare professionals’ own experiences of domestic violence and abuse: A meta-analysis of prevalence and systematic review of risk markers and consequences. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 24(3), 1282–1299. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380211061771
Hernandez B.C., Reibling E.T., Maddux C., & Kahn M. (2016). Intimate partner violence experienced by physicians: a review. Journal of Women’s Health, 25, 311-320
McLindon, E., Humphreys, C. & Hegarty, K. (2018).“It happens to clinicians too”: an Australian prevalence study of intimate partner and family violence against health professionals. BMC Women’s Health, 18, 113. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-018-0588-y
Reibling, E. T., Distelberg, B., Guptill, M., & Hernandez, B. C. (2020). Intimate partner violence experienced by physicians. Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 11. https://doi.org/10.1177/2150132720965077
Urbanek, K. & Austin, D. (2024, April 29-May 1). Silent suffering: Uncovering the impacts of domestic violence in healthcare. [Conference session]. IAHSS 2024 Annual Conference & Exhibition, Orlando, FL, United States
Additional Resources:
- Physicians Anonymous is a resource for physicians, residents, and medical students. It also offers 1:1 coaching and free anonymous support groups. Finally, Physicians Anonymous maintains a blog that includes firsthand stories intended to reduce shame and stigma.
- Physician Support Line (1-888-409-0141) is a free and confidential support line run by volunteer psychiatrists. It is open Mon-Fri (except federal holidays) 8:00 AM-12:00 AM EST. In addition to working with physicians, it also serves medical students.
- The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has published a guide for healthcare professionals. The guide includes strategies for building resilience, promoting wellness, and accessing support.
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