ABSTRACT
Violence against women has received increasing public attention over the past 20 years. The past two decades have highlighted the problem of intimate partner violence as a major cause of intentional injury to women. Many of these women present themselves to emergency departments where emergency physicians have a unique opportunity to intervene.
Subject(s)
Emergency Treatment/methods , Spouse Abuse/diagnosis , Spouse Abuse/therapy , Female , Humans , Incidence , Male , Mass Screening , Patient Care Planning , Prevalence , Risk Assessment , Safety , Spouse Abuse/statistics & numerical data , United States/epidemiology , Women's HealthABSTRACT
This article deals with the infectious entities, excluding acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and endocarditis, the physician is likely to encounter in the intravenous drug abuser on presentation to the Emergency Department. Multiple factors may suppress the usual diagnostic indicators. Awareness of the common infectious problems in this population and a high index of suspicion are needed to render quality care in the Emergency Department.