ABSTRACT
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 after effects 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.
Subject(s)
Crime Victims/psychology , Health Policy , Violence/prevention & control , Female , Humans , Patient Readmission , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/diagnosis , Substance-Related Disorders/diagnosis , United States/epidemiology , Violence/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
The effects of parents' victimization by community violence on children's psychological functioning was examined in a group of 30 6-12-year-old African-American children. In comparison with 30 demographically similar children in the same urban community whose parents had never been victimized, the victims' children exhibited higher levels of distress symptoms. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Subject(s)
Black or African American/psychology , Child of Impaired Parents/psychology , Crime Victims/psychology , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/diagnosis , Urban Population , Violence/psychology , Child , Female , Humans , Male , New York , Personality Assessment , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/psychologyABSTRACT
In light of new welfare reforms, it is essential that public welfare workers move individuals from welfare to work in an expedient fashion. Client alcohol and/or drug use/abuse is one barrier that may inhibit this process. The following study (N = 93) administered both the Hudson Index of Alcohol Involvement, the Hudson Index of Drug Involvement (rapid assessment instruments) and the Miller Substance Abuse Subtly Screening Inventory (SASSI) to public welfare and Child Protection system clients. Results indicated that the two rapid assessment measures strongly correlated with the advanced, commonly used SASSI measure. It is suggested that public welfare workers should institute these rapid assessment instruments at intake to screen clients for alcohol and drug use/abuse. When indicated, the client could then be referred to the appropriate agency for further assessment and treatment, to better prepare them for employment as mandated by new welfare reforms. The rapid assessment instruments were found to be shorter than the SASSI, easily administered, and able to detect alcohol and/or drug use/abuse effectively and efficiently in these populations.
