The purpose of this study is to compare the safety, acceptability and ease of the administration of two screening methods, a pen and paper questionnaire and an audiotape with headsets, for screening for intimate partner violence in a pediatric emergency department (ED).

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant health problem, affecting 2 - 4 million women each year. Over half of the homes in which women are abused contain children, with 3.3 - 10 million children witnessing IPV each year. In 1998, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued guidelines stating that “identifying and intervening on behalf of battered women may be one of the most effective means of preventing child abuse,” and recommending that pediatricians perform routine IPV screening. Because of the substantial number of families seen in the emergency department (ED), this setting could provide an important site in which to implement universal screening. Exactly how to implement screening in this busy environment is unclear. One possible approach involves the use of an audiotape with a headset with a prerecorded screening questionnaire that prompts the respondent to circle “yes” or “no” answers on an otherwise blank sheet of paper. This method of screening has the potential benefits of:

• Providing a more private method of screening;
• Improving screening of women who cannot read well;
• Enhancing the rate of screening by removing the burden of screening from providers.

Comparison: Female caregivers in a pediatric ED will be randomized to answering domestic violence (DV) screening questions either via pen and paper or via audiotape. After answering these screening questions, all women will be asked standardized questions about the acceptability, safety and ease of use of the method to which they are randomized.

• Behavioral: Screening via pen and paper
• Behavioral: Screening via audiotape

Inclusion Criteria:

• Older than 18 or an emancipated minor

Exclusion Criteria:

• Child undergoing acute resuscitation
• Other adults in the room