Domestic violence and abuse related emergency room visits in Ontario, Canada

Abstract Background Hospitals’ emergency rooms (ERs) are generally the first point of contact domestic violence and abuse (DVA) victims to health care system. For efficient management resource allocation for ERs manage DVA-related emergencies in Canada, it is important quantify assess pattern these visits. Methods Aggregate ER visits data, using relevant ICD-10-CA codes, from 2012 2016 were retrieved IntelliHealth Ontario. The 2011 ON-Marg (Ontario Marginalization) indices linked at Dissemination Area level data. Descriptive analyses including total number rate per 100,000 people calculated, stratified by age sex. Slope Index Inequality (SII) Relative (RII) also assessed. Results From 2016, 10,935 (81.2% females 18.8% males) made An annual average 25.5 6.1 males was observed. Residential instability deprivation significant predictors No particular site injury indicated 38.5% visits, 24.7% presented with cranio-maxillofacial (CMF) trauma isolation, 28.9% non-CMF injuries, 7.9% both CMF injuries. Conclusion This study identified that burden large enough warrant timely public interventions, observed certain populations Ontario experience more DVA and/or prone its impact. Our findings have implications various stakeholders involved planning implementing policies programs.