Victims of Abuse, An Issue of Nursing Clinics

Sharon Stark

Description

This issue of Nursing Clinics of North America, Guest Edited by Sharon Stark, PhD, RN, APN-C, will focus on Victims of Abuse, with topics including: Types of Abuse ; Interpersonal Violence; Child Abuse; Elder Abuse; Bullying; Substance Abuse and Violence; Domestic Violence; Abuse in Nursing Homes; Nurses as Victims of Abuse; Issues of abuse in military deployment and military families; Abusive Behavior in the Workplace; The Relationship Between Abuse and Depression; Meeting the 2015 Millennium Development Goals With New Interventions for Abused Women; Community Services/Prevention; and Educational Considerations.

Sujets

• Medical
• Médecine
• Nursing
• Leadership
• Management

Informations

• Publié par: Saunders
• Date de parution: 28 décembre 2011
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781455709403
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Nursing Clinics of North America , Vol. 46, No. 4, December 2011
ISSN: 0029-6465
doi: 10.1016/S0029-6465(11)00078-8

Contributors
Nursing Clinics of North America
Victims of Abuse
GUEST EDITOR: Sharon W. Stark, PhD, RN, APN-C, CFN
Monmouth University, Marjorie K. Unterberg School of Nursing and Health Studies, 400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch, NJ 07764, USA
CONSULTING EDITOR: Suzanne S. Prevost, PhD, RN, COI
ISSN  0029-6465
Volume 46 • Number 4 • December 2011

Contents
Cover
Contributors
Forthcoming Issues
Preface
Types of Abuse
Abuse Across the Lifespan: Prevalence, Risk, and Protective Factors
Child Abuse
“I know it shouldn’t but it still hurts” Bullying and Adults: Implications and Interventions for Practice
Blind, Deaf, and Dumb: Why Elder Abuse Goes Unidentified
The Relationship Between Abuse and Depression
Family Issues Associated with Military Deployment, Family Violence, and Military Sexual Trauma
Workplace Violence in Nursing Today
The Impact of Interpersonal Violence on Health Care
Community Services for Victims of Interpersonal Violence
Domestic and Institutional Elder Abuse Legislation
Meeting the 2015 Millennium Development Goals with New Interventions for Abused Women
Index
Nursing Clinics of North America , Vol. 46, No. 4, December 2011
ISSN: 0029-6465
doi: 10.1016/S0029-6465(11)00080-6

Forthcoming Issues
Nursing Clinics of North America , Vol. 46, No. 4, December 2011
ISSN: 0029-6465
doi: 10.1016/j.cnur.2011.10.001

Preface

Sharon W. Stark, PhD, RN, APN-C, CFN
Monmouth University, Marjorie K. Unterberg School of Nursing and Health Studies, 400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch, NJ 07764, USA
E-mail address: [e-mail]
Abuse does not emerge by a certain age, happen in a single socioeconomic group, present in a distinct way, or occur in a single setting. Whether in the privacy of one’s home or in a public arena such as a daycare or community center or health care facility, infants, children, teenagers, gays, bisexuals, transvestites, elderly, and disabled of all races, cultures, religions, and socioeconomic levels are potential victims of abuse. Abuse can begin innocuously and be sporadic, but usually always escalates over time. Abuse affects individuals, families, communities, and nations. The scope of abuse is enormous. Abuse is not entirely physical. It is emotional, psychological, financial, and/or sexual in nature. Whether one is a victim, witness, or perpetrator of abuse, the health effects are always negative. Some experts believe that exposure to abuse and violence is a contributing factor to chronic disease. Such long-term health consequences have a negative economic impact on society, costing billions of dollars each year.
This issue of Nursing Clinics of North America is formatted in chronological order beginning with descriptions of various types of abuse and specific writings about abuse across the lifespan, child abuse, bullying, and elder abuse and their prevalence. The impact of abuse on individuals, families, health care, and society is detailed in writing regarding abuse and depression. An exploration of abuse associated with specialized environments is offered in writings concerning family issues associated with military deployment and workplace violence in nursing. The influence of abuse is elucidated in a writing concerning the impact of interpersonal violence on health care. Finally, innovations designed to address abuse are revealed in writings related to community services for victims of interpersonal violence, domestic, and institutional elder abuse legislation and meeting the United Nations 2015 millennium goals with new interventions for abused women. Overall, education, screening, and responding to abusive situations require the involvement of many at all levels to make changes, develop abuse policies, and support abuse legislation.
Nursing Clinics of North America , Vol. 46, No. 4, December 2011
ISSN: 0029-6465
doi: 10.1016/j.cnur.2011.08.005

Types of Abuse

Janet Mahoney, RN, PhD, APN, ENA-BC
Monmouth University, Marjorie K. Unterberg School of Nursing and Health Studies, 400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch, NJ 07764, USA
E-mail address: [e-mail]

Abstract
The four most common types of abuse are physical, sexual, emotional, and economic. Abuse is often further categorized into child abuse, intimate partner violence, and elder abuse. This article describes the important role that nurses and health care providers play in detecting, assessing, and reporting abuse. Armed with increased knowledge about signs and symptoms of abuse, nurses can guide patients to the appropriate resources.

Keywords
• Abuse prevention • Interpersonal violence • Child maltreatment • Elder abuse • Victim assessment
Let’s face it. Abuse should never happen to anyone. All types of abuse are horrific and affect people in all walks of life, regardless of age, educational background, gender, economic status, religion, or nationality. Abuse can harm people physically and emotionally, as well as leave them feeling isolated and lonely. Abuse does not discriminate. It affects children, adults, and older people.
There are many types of abuse. The four most common types of abuse are physical, sexual, emotional, and economic. 1 Abuse is often further categorized into child abuse, intimate partner violence, and elder abuse. Stalking and bullying is considered by some authorities to be types of abuse and are getting more attention in the media.
Some types of abuse are easier to identify than are others. For example, physical abuse is often more identifiable than other types of abuse, although not all types of physical abuse can be seen. Just as serious, and many times more difficult to recognize, are verbal abuse, emotional abuse (psychological abuse), and economic abuse. As with all types of abuse, the signs and symptoms will vary in relation to the frequency and pattern of violence. 2

Child abuse
Each year close to 1 million American children are victims of abuse and neglect. 3 Of these young victims, abuse occurred most frequently in children under the age of one. Over half of the abused children were girls, most were white, 21% were Latino, and about 16% were African American. 4
Data indicates that the incidence of child abuse and neglect is 12 per 1000 children. Four children per day (14,460) children died in 2005 as a result of inflicted trauma. More than 77% of these deaths were children younger than 4 years of age. 4 Although reports of alleged child abuse are not always substantiated during the investigation process, most authorities believe that a large underreporting bias is inherent in the data. There is much more child abuse than is reported.
Child abuse may include signs of abuse and neglect. The Joyful Heart Foundation 5 describes 10 common signs to watch for when child abuse is suspected. Signs and symptoms may include unexplained and unconvincing explanations by parents or care-givers regarding a child’s injuries. Abused children may exhibit changes in behavior, such as appearing scared, looking depressed, withdrawing from friends, acting out, or becoming more aggressive. Some children of abuse return to earlier childhood behaviors, such as bedwetting or thumb sucking. 5
Eating patterns may change and some children may have trouble sleeping. Older abused children may experience changes in school performance and attendance. Abused children may have long absences from school, or may wear clothing inappropriate for the season and climate. Abused children may fear going home after school. Signs of physical abuse include unexplained, repeated, or excessive bruises, broken bones, black eyes, or other injuries. Injuries may be in various stages of healing. 5
Children who have been sexually abused may not want to tell anyone about the sexual abuse for fear of retaliation from the abuser. Physical signs of sexual abuse may include bruising of the inner thighs, sexually transmitted diseases, and/or pain or itching in the genital area. Children sexually abused by a relative may have been told not to say anything to anyone. For instance, the child may be told that something bad will happen to them or their loved ones if they told anyone about the abuse. The child may have been told that no one will believe his or her stories. These children are vulnerable and live in fear. 5
Another type of abuse is shaken baby syndrome. Shaken baby syndrome is the leading cause of death seen in abusive head trauma incidents, with an estimated 1200 to 1400 children injured or killed by shaking each year in the United States (US) according the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome. 6 Esernio-Jenssen’s, 6 2011 study investigated shaken baby syndrome in 40 infants. He reported that the average age of abused infants was more than 9 months old, with 94% sustaining brain hemorrhage and 82% revealed retinal hemorrhages. Two-thirds (34) of the children were boys and 6 of the 34 died from the injuries. In this study, abusers of shaken baby syndrome ranged in age from 16 to 60 years of age. The female abusers’ median age was 34 years. This was significantly higher than the males’ median age of 27 years. The investigator stated that, although men were more likely to be seen as perpetrators of shaken baby syndrome, the percentage of female abusers seems to be underestimated. 6
In this age of ever increasing technology, a new form of violence aimed at children by children has emerged. Electronic aggression is an emerging public health issue. Text mes