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Don’t Overlook Traumatic Brain Injury in Intimate Partner Violence

By Heather V. Rozzi, MD, FACEP; and Ralph Riviello, MD, MS, FACEP | on March 17, 2020 | 0 Comment

Dr. Riviello is chair and professor of emergency medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common in victims of intimate partner violence (IPV).
Strangulation often accompanies TBI in IPV.
Patients may suffer repeated TBI over short periods of time, similar to athletes.
Patients may experience chronic, long-term sequelae of their TBI.
Emergency medicine clinicians should have a high index of suspicion for TBI in IPV victims and refer them to specialized clinics.

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Valera EM, Berenbaum H. Brain injury in battered women. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2003;71(4):797-804.
Smirl JD, Jones KE, Copeland P, et al. Characterizing symptoms of traumatic brain injury in survivors of intimate partner violence. Brain Inj. 2019;33(12):1529-1538.
Wilbur L, Higley M, Hatfield J, et al. Survey results of women who have been strangled while in an abusive relationship. J Emerg Med. 2001;21(3):297-302.
McKinlay A, van Viet-Ruissen C, Taylor A. Traumatic brain injury among mothers identified as having a high risk of child maltreatment: a pilot study. J Fam Viol. 2014;29(4):391-395.

Don’t Overlook Traumatic Brain Injury in Intimate Partner Violence