Validation and adaptation of the danger assessment-5: A brief intimate partner violence risk assessment

Jill Messing, Jacquelyn C. Campbell, Carolyn Snider

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

45 Scopus citations

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the predictive validity of the DA-5 with the addition of a strangulation item in evaluating the risk of an intimate partner violence (IPV) victim being nearly killed by an intimate partner. Background: The DA-5 was developed as a short form of the Danger Assessment for use in healthcare settings, including emergency and urgent care settings. Analyzing data from a sample of IPV survivors who had called the police for domestic violence, the DA-5 was tested with and without an item on strangulation, a potentially fatal and medically damaging IPV tactic used commonly by dangerous abusers. Design: Researchers interviewed a heterogeneous sample of 1,081 women recruited by police between 2009–2013 at the scene of a domestic violence call; 619 (57.3%) were contacted and re-interviewed after an average of 7 months. Methods: The predictive validity of the DA-5 was assessed for the outcome of severe or near lethal IPV re-assault using sensitivity, specificity and ROC curve analysis techniques. Results: The original DA-5 was found to be accurate (AUC =.68), equally accurate with the strangulation item from the original DA substituted (AUC =.68) and slightly more accurate (but not a statistically significant difference) if multiple strangulation is assessed. Conclusion: We recommend that the DA-5 with the strangulation item be used for a quick assessment of homicide or near homicide risk among IPV survivors. A protocol for immediate referral and examination for further injury from strangulation should be adopted for IPV survivors at high risk.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)3220-3230
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of advanced nursing
Volume73
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2017

Keywords

  • domestic violence
  • emergency
  • femicide
  • healthcare professionals
  • healthcare settings
  • intimate partner homicide
  • nursing
  • partner abuse
  • strangulation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Nursing

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