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. 2024 Aug;30(10):2511-2530.
doi: 10.1177/10778012231159417. Epub 2023 Feb 28.

Characterizing Possible Acute Brain Injury in Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence: A Retrospective Chart Review

Shambhu Prasad Adhikari  1 , Naomi Maldonado-Rodriguez  1 , Sara Catherine Smiley  2 , Christopher Douglas Lewis  2 , Mackenzie Dawn Horst  2 , Chi Wang Jeffrey Lai  2 , Natalie L Matthews  2 , Karen Mason  3 , Hannah Varto  4 , Paul van Donkelaar  1
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Characterizing Possible Acute Brain Injury in Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence: A Retrospective Chart Review

Shambhu Prasad Adhikari et al. Violence Against Women. 2024 Aug.

Abstract

Survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) often experience violent blows to the head, face, and neck and/or strangulation that result in brain injury (BI). Researchers reviewed the de-identified forensic nursing examination records of 205 women. More than 88% of women were subjected to multiple mechanisms of injury with in excess of 60% experiencing strangulation. About 31% disclosed various symptoms consistent with BI. Women experiencing strangulation were 2.24 times more likely to report BI-related symptoms compared to those who reported no strangulation. In conclusion, women experiencing IPV are prone to BI suggesting early screening and appropriate management are warranted.

Keywords: acute brain injury; forensic nursing examination; head trauma; intimate partner violence; strangulation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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