LONDON, UK: Social distancing and isolation measures introduced in countless countries during the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic have undeniably helped to curb the virus’s spread. One unintended and negative side effect, however, has been a rise in the incidence of domestic violence. A paper recently published in the British Dental Journal (BDJ) sought to clarify what role dental professionals, particularly oral and maxillofacial surgeons, play in such situations and how they can better help patients who have been affected by this form of abuse.
According to UN Women—a United Nations body dedicated to gender equality—the outbreak of COVID-19 has been accompanied by a shadow pandemic of increased domestic violence against women. In Argentina, for example, emergency calls related directly to instances of domestic violence have risen by 25% since the pandemic began. Meanwhile, a survey from the Australian Institute of Criminology has revealed that a shocking 8.8% of Australian women in a relationship were subjected to violence by a cohabiting partner between February and May this year.
Dentists need to help victims of domestic violence
As emphasised by the authors of the article in the BDJ, studies suggest that between 65% and 95% of physical domestic violence assaults result in facial trauma for the victim. Therefore, dental professionals often have an important duty to identify patients who may have been assaulted in this manner and to refer them immediately to the appropriate local agencies and services.
Approaching suspected victims of domestic violence can be difficult, however, in situations where disclosure of such incidents may not be possible—for example, if the perpetrator of the violence is present. According to the authors, this is particularly true if a consultation is performed via telephone while the patient is in his or her home. In such instances, it can be helpful to arrange a referral to a suitable agency through another communication method or, if possible, discreetly provide the patient with a contact number to be used at a safer time.
Dr Paul Coulthard, co-author of the study and dean for dentistry, institute director and professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Queen Mary University of London’s Institute of Dentistry, told Dental Tribune International that he hopes that one unexpected bright spot of the pandemic will be the creation of new ways for dental professional teams to safely identify and contact domestic violence victims.
“There has been a heightened awareness of the increased risk of domestic violence and abuse because of restrictions on movement and the need for household isolation, so dental professionals and the oral maxillofacial surgery team should be increasing their alertness and commitment to identification and referral,” Coulthard said.
The paper, titled “COVID-19, domestic violence and abuse, and urgent dental and oral and maxillofacial surgery care”, was published online on 26 June 2020 in the British Dental Journal.
Tags:
LEIPZIG, Germany: Researchers and health bodies around the world are advising health practitioners in the northern hemisphere to actively prepare for an ...
LONDON, UK: Practices in the UK remain open during the current lockdown, but dentists in the country have reported increased concerns related to other ...
LIVERPOOL, UK: Food insecurity affects 17% of households in the UK, according to a 2023 government survey. This lack of consistent access to sufficient ...
MANCHESTER, UK: Most victims of domestic violence have injuries around the head and neck region. Thus, dentists are in a prime position to spot signs of ...
LEIPZIG, Germany: Months after it was first detected in Wuhan, one of China’s largest cities, the effects of the ongoing coronavirus (since named ...
During viral epidemics, dental offices face significant challenges. There are requirements for meticulous hygiene and virus spread prevention, and ...
BELFAST, UK: Dentists in Northern Ireland and Scotland are struggling. Several pleas to ministers for financial support for private and mixed dental ...
LONDON, UK: Dental Protection says that the vast backlog in patient treatments—a lingering consequence of the pandemic—is negatively affecting the ...
LONDON, UK: The dental industry has gone through many sudden and extreme changes since the start of the pandemic, and it is now evident that access to oral ...
LONDON, UK: The effects of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic have been felt at every level in the UK. Many were shocked to hear that UK Prime Minister Boris ...
Live webinar
Fri. 19 July 2024
1:00 am UTC (London)
Live webinar
Tue. 6 August 2024
11:00 pm UTC (London)
Live webinar
Wed. 14 August 2024
12:00 am UTC (London)
Live webinar
Wed. 21 August 2024
2:00 pm UTC (London)
Dr. Jim Lai DMD, MSc(Perio), EdD, FRCD(C)
Live webinar
Thu. 29 August 2024
1:00 am UTC (London)
Live webinar
Mon. 2 September 2024
10:00 am UTC (London)
Live webinar
Tue. 3 September 2024
4:00 pm UTC (London)
To post a reply please login or register