Violence prevention in the emergency department: future research priorities

Abstract

The 2009 Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference working group session participants developed recommendations and research questions for violence prevention in the emergency department (ED). A writing group devised a working draft prior to the meeting and presented this to the breakout session at the consensus conference for input and approval. The recommendations include: 1) promote and facilitate the collection of standardized information related to violence victimization and perpetration in ED settings; 2) develop and validate brief practical screening instruments that can identify those at risk for perpetration of violence toward others or toward self; 3) develop and validate brief practical screening instruments that can identify victims at risk for violent reinjury and mental health sequelae; and 4) conduct efficacy, translational, and dissemination research on interventions for violence prevention. The work group emphasized the critical need and role of ED-based research to impact surveillance and prevention of future violence-related injury.