Domestic Violence Projects
CARE is conducting several projects on domestic and family violence in the health care system that are grounded in an integrated knowledge translation (iKT) approach and draws on implementation science research.
Strengthening Health Systems Response to Family Violence
Primary Health care (PHC) is recognized as a setting uniquely positioned to identify the risk and protective factors for family violence, being an entry point into the health system and a first, or only, point of contact for families over time with professionals who can facilitate access to specialist care and support. Our team is examining promising interventions for family violence assessment and prevention for implementation in PHC settings, and to assess PHC provider and organization readiness to respond to family violence. An Expert Review Panel has been convened to provide guidance on the development of a PHC Family Violence Readiness Tool to be implemented in diverse PHC clinic settings in Alberta. Read our evidence brief synthesizing the research on this topic.
Advancing Knowledge on Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Screening in Acute Trauma Care Settings
IPV screening programs can have benefits for the health and safety of individuals who have experienced physical violence, but there is no single screening program or approach that is recommended for Canadian trauma centres. CARE is working with a tram of trauma care providers from the Royal Alexandra Hospital and University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton to generate knowledge on equity-informed IPV screening programs for the trauma patient population; elicit trauma care provider and patient experiences with IPV assessment and disclosure; and engage trauma care providers in evaluating key components of comprehensive IPV screening programs for the assessment, identification and referral of IPV within trauma centres.
Domestic Abuse Digital Resource Hub
CARE partnered with Sagesse Domestic Violence Prevention Society on developing the first Domestic Abuse Digital Resource Hub in Alberta. The resource hub is an evidence-based innovation that harnesses artificial intelligence to improve access to resources and information for survivors and individuals experiencing domestic violence in one place. Resources provided on the hub would include information on domestic violence, peer support groups, support lines, individual therapy, housing, and, if needed, crisis and emergency lines which provide 24-hour support. The data generated from the resource hub will be used by the CARE team to better understand the types of information and resources that individuals are looking for and who is seeking information (e.g., survivors, friends of family members of someone at-risk, or perpetrators). The resource hub exemplifies Canada’s commitment to advancing social innovation through digital technologies.
Informing Alberta's Primary Prevention Framework for the Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence
CARE has collaborated with SHIFT: The Project to End Domestic Violence and the IMPACT provincial collective to produce two reports as part of a series of policy research briefs designed to inform the Alberta Primary Prevention Framework Collaborative (APPF) Policy Collaborative to identify policies, strategies, and actions focused on advancing primary prevention efforts to stop domestic and sexual violence before they start.