May 13, 2021
Violence-related medical visits open the door for early intervention
A substantial number of kids visit a medical professional each year in the wake of exposure to violence, presenting physicians with an opportunity to treat and assist patients and stave off further physical, mental, and social consequences, researchers found.
Between cases of family maltreatment, peer assault, sex crimes, and community violence, kids and teens experience high rates of assault and violence, prompting visits to health professionals, emergency departments (EDs), pediatricians, family physicians, and social health services, David Finkelhor, PhD, and Heather Turner, PhD, and Deirdre LaSelva, MA, of the University of New Hampshire in Durham, New Hampshire, explained in