A systematic review of intimate partner violence educational interventions delivered to allied health care practitioners

CONTEXT Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in women worldwide. Numerous health organisations have called for increased education for health care practitioners who encounter IPV patients and the first clinical guidelines for health services responding to IPV were recently published. This renewed focus has created a need to examine the current evidence for IPV education so that it may inform the next generation of educational interventions. OBJECTIVES This study was designed to examine the effects of IPV educational interventions on the knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviours of allied health care practitioners (AHCPs). METHODS We conducted a systematic search of multiple databases up to the end of May 2015. We selected studies that included IPV educational interventions for AHCPs and that measured knowledge, attitude, skill or behavioural outcomes. Studies were evaluated based on methodological quality, education context and outcome measurement. RESULTS We found 2757 articles from which 18 were selected for inclusion. Study participants included nurses, dentists, social workers and paramedics. Educational interventions ranged widely in length, delivery format and topics covered. Findings indicate that improvements in some knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviours are associated with education, although the lack of high-quality studies indicates that conclusions should be treated with caution. CONCLUSIONS Future studies should be conducted using rigorous methodology and validated instruments to measure evidence-based outcomes and should target a wider range of AHCPs. Recommendations are provided on education content and delivery, study methodology and outcome measurement based on insights gained from selected studies.