Journal of injury & violence research最新文献

{"title":"Human dignity at stake: remand isolation in Sweden at the intersection of structural violence and public health.","authors":"Alireza Ahmadi","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>There is something difficult to capture in a statistic about detention. A mean duration of 101 days may look like a number on a table. In lived experience, however, three months in a cell, under restrictions that may sharply narrow contact with other people, is a very different kind of measure. The public-health significance of that experience deserves closer attention. International standards have drawn an important line between ordinary custodial separation and solitary confinement. The United Nations Nelson Mandela Rules define solitary confinement as confinement for 22 hours or more per day without meaningful human contact and define prolonged solitary confinement as more than 15 consecutive days. At the same time, legal restrictions imposed on people held in remand custody should not simply be relabeled as solitary confinement. In Sweden, however, restrictions on association and communication may, when they are extensive and prolonged, create conditions of de facto social isolation. Official Swedish data and European monitoring reports suggest that this is not a marginal issue. A joint Swedish government-agency report documented a rise in the average duration of remand detention from slightly more than 50 days in January 2018 to more than 101 days in October 2023. During the same period, the proportion of concluded remand periods lasting more than five months increased from 6% to 25%. The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture reported that approximately 55-65% of remand prisoners were subject to restrictions between 2017 and 2020 and described cases in which prisoners experienced months with little or no family contact and extremely limited opportunities for human interaction. The international health literature is concerning, particularly with regard to psychological distress and self-harm. It is not, however, uniform. Much of the evidence comes from correctional systems outside Scandinavia, and causal inference remains difficult because people exposed to more restrictive conditions may differ from those who are not in important ways. This editorial argues for a more precise public-health lens. The question is not whether every restriction is solitary confinement. It is whether prolonged restriction and loss of meaningful human contact are associated with preventable harm, and how much of that harm might be avoided. Sweden provides an important setting in which to study this question. The Journal of Injury and Violence Research is also planning a Special Issue on Human Rights, Violence, and Public Health, and welcomes scholarly contributions examining these questions from epidemiological, clinical, psychological, legal, ethical, social, and policy perspectives.</p>","PeriodicalId":73795,"journal":{"name":"Journal of injury & violence research","volume":"18 1","pages":"None"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149119756","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Wet Cupping as a Candidate Controlled Physiological Stressor: A Window into Its Functional Mechanisms, Therapeutic and Preconditioning Hypotheses, and Directions for Future Research.","authors":"Alireza Ahmadi, Reza Mohammadi","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Wet cupping (hijama) is a small, deliberately produced tissue injury: negative pressure, superficial scarification, nociceptive input, and bloodletting occur in a defined sequence. Clinical studies have explored it in pain, musculoskeletal, inflammatory, metabolic, respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological conditions, yet the biological observations are often reported one marker or one outcome at a time. Here we look at the procedure as a possible controlled physiological stressor, asking whether these scattered observations might belong to a larger, connected response involving neuroendocrine, autonomic, immune, metabolic, endothelial, hemostatic, oxidative, and cellular stress pathways.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A structured narrative-review search covered PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, supplementary scholarly sources, and regional-language databases and portals. Search terms combined wet-cupping and related procedural language with concepts drawn from physiological stress, trauma, autonomic function, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, inflammation, metabolism, endothelial and coagulation biology, oxidative stress, heme oxygenase-1, and preconditioning. Evidence was separated into direct wet-cupping human evidence, indirect or preclinical and related-procedure evidence, and hypothesis-generating evidence. We did not pool effect estimates.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The literature falls into three broad evidence levels. Level 1 is established injury, trauma, and surgical physiology. Level 2 is the direct wet-cupping literature, where the evidence is uneven and, beyond pain-related conditions, often preliminary. Level 3 contains ideas supported by indirect or preclinical work, related procedures, and traditional or complementary practice. Signals have been reported in autonomic regulation, immune pathways, oxidative biology, selected metabolic and vascular measures, pain, respiratory disorders, neurological rehabilitation, and some chronic and autoimmune conditions. By contrast, direct evidence for systemic heme oxygenase-1 induction and perioperative preconditioning is still lacking or too limited to support a firm conclusion.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Wet cupping may be more useful to study as a controlled physiological stressor than simply as a bloodletting procedure. The value of the framework lies in looking at several connected responses together without pretending that the mechanism is already understood. Two possibilities stand out: context-specific stress-response modulation may help explain some therapeutic or preventive signals, while repeated controlled exposure may, more speculatively, change how the body responds to a later predictable major stressor such as surgery. Both ideas need careful, standardized testing before they can be treated as more than hypotheses.</p>","PeriodicalId":73795,"journal":{"name":"Journal of injury & violence research","volume":"18 1","pages":"None"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149077120","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of motorcycle ambulances on prehospital response time: a systematic review.","authors":"Rahim Ali Sheikhi, Mohammad Heidari, Bahar Seifi","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Urban traffic congestion and limited ambulance fleets are associated with prolonged Emergency Medical Services (EMS) response times and worse outcomes in time-critical conditions. To reduce response times, many EMS agencies in large cities have introduced motorcycle ambulance services.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We systematically reviewed English-language literature from January 2008 to November 2025 in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar, following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Two reviewers independently screened records, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. Inclusion criteria were original peer-reviewed studies evaluating motorcycle-based EMS units with quantitative prehospital time outcomes. Given substantial heterogeneity in designs and settings, we performed a qualitative synthesis without meta-analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 713 records identified, 7 studies met inclusion criteria. Included studies reported that motorcycle ambulances generally achieved shorter response times than standard ambulances in congested urban settings. Where numerical estimates were extractable, reported differences ranged from approximately 30 seconds to 2-3 minutes faster response with motorcycle units; one study reported an approximately 23.5% reduction in unnecessary car-ambulance dispatches. However, confidence intervals and adjusted statistical indicators were inconsistently reported. Motorcycle deployment was also associated with fewer unnecessary ambulance dispatches, particularly for low-acuity calls.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Motorcycle ambulances may improve prehospital EMS response times, particularly in congested urban areas and settings with limited road infrastructure. Available studies reported favorable point estimates, but the evidence base is small, heterogeneous, and predominantly observational, with limited data on patient outcomes, safety, and cost-effectiveness. No pooled effect estimate can be justified. Further high-quality studies are needed to clarify the benefits, risks, and optimal role of motorcycle-based EMS within broader emergency care systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":73795,"journal":{"name":"Journal of injury & violence research","volume":"18 1","pages":"None"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149077081","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stress management strategies and psychological well-being among survivors of domestic violence: an empirical analysis.","authors":"Balabeyim Taghizadeh","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Domestic violence is associated with substantial psychological consequences, yet evidence regarding coping strategies and psychological well-being among women exposed to domestic violence in Azerbaijan remains limited. This study aimed to examine the relationships between coping strategies, domestic violence, and psychological well-being among women in Azerbaijan.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional correlational study included 117 women who had experienced domestic violence. Data were collected using the Brief COPE, WHO-5 Well-Being Index, and an Intimate Partner Violence Assessment Questionnaire based on the WHO model. Because the data were not normally distributed, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Psychological and physical violence were positively associated with behavioral disengagement and instrumental support, whereas psychological, physical, and sexual violence were negatively associated with positive reframing. Domestic violence was negatively associated with psychological well-being (r = -.323, p less than .001), while coping strategies were positively asso-ciated with well-being (r = .192, p = .038). Significant differences in domestic violence were also observed according to marital status, educational level, and employment status.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Higher levels of domestic violence were associated with lower psychological well-being and greater use of avoidant coping strategies. The findings highlight the importance of strengthening adaptive coping skills and developing culturally appropri-ate psychosocial interventions for women exposed to domestic violence in Azerbaijan.</p>","PeriodicalId":73795,"journal":{"name":"Journal of injury & violence research","volume":"18 1","pages":"None"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148901650","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Establishing diagnostic thresholds for adult ADHD screening in taxi drivers: validation of the CAARS-S via Item Response Theory and Machine Learning.","authors":"Mehrdad Vossoughi, Zahra Sedaghat, Arash Mani, Seyed Hamdollah Mosavat, Mohammad Salehi-Marzijarani, Ali Akbary, Tahere Manouchehri, Seyed Taghi Heydari, Kamran B Lankarani","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is under-recognized in professional drivers, yet it poses significant safety risks. The Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale Short Version (CAARS-S:SV) lacks empirically validated cutoff scores for occupational screening in Iran. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Persian CAARS-S:SV in taxi drivers and to determine optimal ADHD diagnostic thresholds using both traditional and machine-learning methods.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A sample of 298 male taxi drivers (mean age 36.8 ± 8.9 years) completed the Persian CAARS-S:SV. Internal consistency was evaluated with Cronbach's α, and construct validity was tested via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The dataset was randomly split into training (n = 198) and test (n = 100) subsets. Diagnostic thresholds were derived using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, item response theory (IRT; Terluin et al. method), logistic regression, and Random Forest (RF) modeling. Performance metrics-sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value-were computed on the test set.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Cronbach's α coefficients ranged from 0.72 (Subscale A) to 0.89 (total score), and CFA fit indices supported the three-factor structure (χ2/df = 2.40, RMSEA = 0.07; CFI = 0.91). ADHD prevalence was 20.8% (n = 62). ROC and RF methods identified optimal total-score cutoffs yielding sensitivity = 88% and specificity = 86.7%. For Subscale D, ROC achieved sensitivity = 96% and specificity = 76%, while RF achieved sensitivity = 92% and specificity = 85.3%. However, RF resulted in lower error value to diagnose the status of ADHD in the participants. IRT, ROC, and RF matched for subscales A, B, and C but produced an unacceptably low sensitivity (68%) for the total score (threshold = 24), reflecting a violation of IRT's unidimensionality assumption. Logistic regression performed less favorably (sensitivity 16%-60%).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The Persian CAARS-S:SV is a reliable and valid instrument for ADHD screening in Iranian taxi drivers. ROC curve and Random Forest methods yielded the most accurate cutoff scores, particularly for the overall scale and dimension D. These empirically derived thresholds can enhance early identification of adult ADHD in occupational health settings and support the development of data-driven screening protocols.</p>","PeriodicalId":73795,"journal":{"name":"Journal of injury & violence research","volume":"18 1","pages":"None"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148649968","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pediatric drowning hospitalizations at the only pediatric intensive care unit center in Okinawa: a retrospective study.","authors":"Tomoki Kawahara, Kouki Tomari, Tomoki Nakaya, Ryosuke Aoki, Naoki Fujiwara, Takashi Matsuoka","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This exploratory study aimed to describe characteristics associated with pediatric drowning and to examine the socioeconomic context, rather than to establish socioeconomic effects, by conducting a retrospective analysis at the sole tertiary facility with a pediatric intensive care unit in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Information from electronic medical records was collated for 75 drowning-related hospitalizations involving individuals aged less than 20 years at the Okinawa Prefectural Nanbu Medical Center and Children's Medical Center from April 1, 2006, to May 31, 2021. Data on patient gender, drowning or hospitalization duration, drowning timing and settings, pre-existing medical conditions, and zip code were extracted from electronic medical records.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among the 75 hospitalized patients, 64 were discharged without any morbidity, whereas 11 either perished or sustained severe morbidity. The submersion time (2.9 min, standard deviation [SD]: 4.6, in the no morbidity group vs. 44.1 min, SD: 87.0 in the severe group) and length of stay (4.1 days, SD: 3.7 vs. 46.4 days, SD: 64.9, respectively) were markedly extended in the severe group. Additionally, in patients under four years of age, drownings frequently occurred in bathrooms (p = 0.008), with incidents predominantly taking place between 17:00 and 23:00 (p = 0.021). Among hospitalized pediatric drowning patients, supervision was associated with lower odds of severe morbidity (odds ratio 0.17 (95% confidence interval 0.03-0.81)). This association persisted after adjustment for potential confounders such as the Area Deprivation Index and time of day. The interaction between supervision and the Area Deprivation Index was of borderline statistical significance (p = 0.050) and is considered hypothesis-generating.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Within this cohort of hospitalized pediatric drowning patients, the presence of supervision was associated with less severe outcomes. These exploratory findings highlight the potential value of preventive strategies tailored to regional attributes, but do not establish socioeconomic or causal effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":73795,"journal":{"name":"Journal of injury & violence research","volume":"18 1","pages":"None"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148610978","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Elder abuse, resilience, and health-related quality of life: evidence from a cross-sectional study among older adults in Sanandaj, Iran.","authors":"Roya Asadi, Serveh Parang, Sargol Shafiee, Kamyar Mansori, Leila Hashemi Nasab, Jamal Seidi","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Elder abuse constitutes a significant violation of human rights and is linked to various harmful psychological and physical consequences. This research aimed to investigate these effects by assessing the prevalence of elder abuse and its relationship with resilience and health-related quality of life among older adults who attended the comprehensive health centers in Sanandaj, Iran, in 2023.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study employed a cross-sectional design that involved 200 elderly individuals who sought services at comprehensive health centers in Sanandaj city, located in the Kurdistan province of Iran, in 2023. Participants were chosen through a two-stage process. The data collection instruments included a form for recording demographic information, a questionnaire on elder abuse, and the CD-RISC measure. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression, along with the Pearson Correlation test in STATA12 software, setting the significance level p-value ≤ 0.05.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The findings revealed that 57.5% of the participants had encountered some form of abuse, with psychological abuse being the most prevalent at 50%. The examination illustrated a significant relationship between the extent of elder abuse and the average mental health scores (p=0.001), resilience (p=0.001), living situation (p=0.05), and Educational level (p=0.05). Furthermore, there was a statistically significant relationship between resilience scores and mental health (r=0.572, p less than 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In conclusion, the research indicated that a majority of elderly individuals had faced abuse, with higher occurrences among those who were illiterate and resided in rural settings. The findings also suggested that older adults with greater resilience scores experienced lower levels of elder abuse and reported better mental health.</p>","PeriodicalId":73795,"journal":{"name":"Journal of injury & violence research","volume":"18 1","pages":"None"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148347418","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"One-year follow-up of patients with hearing impairment following traumatic brain injury.","authors":"Reza Fatahian, Mohammad Abdullahzadeh, Masoud Sadeghi","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Hearing impairment is a potential consequence of brain trauma and may present as conductive, sensorineural, or mixed hearing loss.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This descriptive-analytical study included patients who sustained brain trauma between 2018 and 2019 and reported hearing difficulties. All participants were examined by an ENT specialist, and audiometric evaluations were conducted immediately after trauma and again one year later. Based on inclusion criteria, all patients referred to Ayatollah Taleghani medical centers were enrolled, resulting in a sample of 70 cases. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22, with chi-square tests applied at a significance level of p = 0.05.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean age of participants was 33 ± 18 years, with males comprising 84% of the sample. A significant correlation was observed between initial and one-year follow-up audiometric findings. Among patients with temporal bone fractures, 60% exhibited sensorineural and conductive hearing loss.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Sensorineural hearing loss was identified as the most prevalent disorder, particularly associated with moderate trauma (GCS scores 9-12). Temporal bone fractures, primarily resulting from accidents, were the most common type of brain injury, with 48.5% of cases showing right-sided involvement.</p>","PeriodicalId":73795,"journal":{"name":"Journal of injury & violence research","volume":"18 1","pages":"None"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148347467","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pleasant freedom with suffering wounds: a qualitative study of post-discharge life in trauma patients recovered from coma.","authors":"Asad Imani, Shahram Molavynejad, Mojgan Khademi, Mohammad Adineh, Mohsen Savaie","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Trauma patients recovering from coma face significant physical, psychological, and social challenges after returning home, which may adversely affect their daily lives and well-being. Exploring these experiences can inform care needs and guide tailored post-discharge support. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore post-discharge life experiences in trauma patients recovered from coma.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This qualitative study was conducted using conventional content analysis. A total of 17 trauma patients who had recovered from coma and had been discharged at least three months prior were selected through purposive sampling. For data collection, 20 face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted until data saturation was achieved. Data analysis followed the Graneheim and Lundman approach. The rigor of the study was ensured using Guba and Lincoln's criteria.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The findings revealed that the main theme of post-discharge life experience was characterized as \"pleasant freedom with suffering wounds,\" encompassing three categories: \"freedom from captivity of alienation and despair,\" \"dubious pleasure,\" and \"integration of real and imagined disability and helplessness.\"</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The initial perception of post-discharge life among trauma patients who recovered from coma is profoundly shaped by the unpleasant experiences endured during ICU hospitalization. The sufferings experienced at home reflect a combination of real complications and imagined concerns arising from the severity of trauma, often accompanied by a false sense of disability and helplessness. These findings underscore the necessity of softening the ICU environment, implementing comprehensive discharge preparation, and providing effective post-discharge follow-up that addresses not only actual physical and psychological problems but also perceived or imagined sufferings.</p>","PeriodicalId":73795,"journal":{"name":"Journal of injury & violence research","volume":"18 1","pages":"None"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148690343","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Psychosocial support for survivors of violence against women: a qualitative study on provider and user perspectives in a Ugandan health facility.","authors":"Ruth Obaikol, Milton Mutto, Catherine Abbo, Michael Lowery Wilson","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Violence Against Women (VAW) impacts 1 in 3 women worldwide, making it a significant public health problem. Most survivors will seek some form of care at healthcare facilities, often making hospitals a critical point of intervention. Psychosocial support plays a crucial role in the rehabilitation of survivors, helping them navigate the physical, emotional, and psychological consequences of violence. This study sought to assess the experiences of both Healthcare Workers (HCWs) and users of facility-based psychosocial care at a private, not-for-profit hospital in Uganda.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A qualitative design using in-depth interviews was employed to explore experiences and perspectives of eight survivors and nine healthcare workers at a private not-for-profit hospital in Uganda in 2023.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The psychosocial services included screening, medical treatment, mental health support, referrals, and follow-up care. Key challenges identified were: limited Healthcare worker capacity to provide psychosocial care, inadequate infrastructure to provide safe spaces for care; high loss to follow up rate; and poorly formed networks with other service providers. While survivors appreciated care, findings emphasized the need for enhanced staff training, more tailored support for survivors and awareness creation for response services at the facilities.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>While survivors value psychosocial services, gaps remain in staff capacity, infrastructure, visibility, and follow-up. A client-centered approach that protects privacy, enhances training, and strengthens referral networks can make care more responsive, comprehensive, and sustainable for women affected by violence.</p>","PeriodicalId":73795,"journal":{"name":"Journal of injury & violence research","volume":"18 1","pages":"None"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145851782","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}