Coordination of care in domestic violence can be defined as the intentional use of care services and efforts in relation to the improved safety of the patient experiencing domestic violence. This approach entails collaboration of healthcare givers, social workers, police, lawyers, patients, their relatives and the public. Hoping to capitalize on the existing government and community resources, it seeks to meet the multiple needs of the targeted high-risk population via a coordinated intervention plan. The strategy involves the community resources, the intervention procedures, the ethical dilemmas, and the local, state, and federal policies corresponding with Healthy People 2030 objectives to enhance the life of the victims of domestic violence.
Healthcare Issues and Interventions
The social, physical, psychological and other health implication of domestic violence cannot be overemphasized as it has effect on the victim. Domestic violence has several impacts on health in the following ways.
Health Issue 1: Chronic Physical Pain
The impact of domestic violence includes chronic physical pain, which is a consequence of physical abuse in which victims are likely to participate. It can be chronic headaches, back pain, or managed musculoskeletal injuries that may lead to disabilities. This cycle of violence does not only cause acute injuries but has other effects, which specifically affect the nervous system. In addition, the psychological factor of domestic violence can even amplify the phenomenon of pain, making it a synthesis for physical and psycho-emotional states (Uvelli et al., 2023).
Community Resources
1. The Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center: The Mayo Clinic provides various pain management services and aims at patients in need of pain rehabilitation thus it is
established under the name of Pain Rehabilitation Centre. These include treatment of chronic pain such as through physical therapy, occupational therapy, and cognitive behavior therapy. They supplement the treatment processes because they consider the pain as well as the general wellbeing of the patient (Williams et al. , 2020).
2. National Pain Advocacy Center (NPAC): The NPAC is a a non-profit organization whose aim is to enhance on the wellbeing of clients with chronic pain (Raffaeli et al. , 2021). NPAC also addresses pain policies and assists with pain matters and related information. They also give an individual knowledge-based tools and materials in order to control his/her pain.
3. American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA): The American Chronic Pain Association is an authentic support organization and offers information on chronic pain to the patients. That is why the ACPA has support groups throughout the country to enable people share on experience and how best to handle such incidents. These services include pain management help, information support, and advocacy campaign for the improvement of access to pain relief (Manchikanti et al. , 2020).
Intervention
Minimizing and treating chronic physical pain as a result of domestic violence ought to suffer from a number of strategies. Firstly, the pharmacologic management needs to be included to address the pain of the affected patient (Alorfi, 2023). This medical treatment should be followed by physiotherapy in order for the patient to be able to move and build up strength. In addition, through the incorporation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), the patient is able to deal with the psychological consequences of the trauma. Moreover, the intervention plan should also include the safety and future accommodation of the survivor to seek assistance in defending the violation of their bodily rights. As for the patient care plan, follow up is relevant as it assists
in evaluation of the patient’s improvement in addition to reconsideration of his/her management plan.
Health Issue 2: Mental Health Disorders
Depression and anxiety disorders are severe and common consequences of domestic violence that occur after the duration of the violence. These are depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These conditions can be consequent of prolonged exposure to violence and trauma. These diseases can prevent the patient from leading a normal life, being able to sustain relationships, have a job, or even carry out simple operations. Experiencing the constant threat, stress and defenselessness due to domestic violence leads to decrease in self-esteem and emotional and psychological damage (Güler et al., 2022).
Community Resources
1. Mental Health America (MHA): Mental Health America is a local non-profit organization that aims at helping people experiencing mental health issues. MHA has mental health disorder screening, support groups and information and referral services available. They also have a list of local partners from across the nation, enabling any person to easily find a mental health care service provider (Fusar-Poli et al., 2020).
2. National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): NAMI is a national community-based organization of individuals affected by mental illness. NAMI has put in place state chapters that focus on offering support and information to the patients and their close ones. These are peer-led support groups, family support, education, and advocacy among other services (Joo et al., 2022). NAMI also has a helpline free information and support.
3. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): SAMHSA is a governmental agency in the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services that deals with the issues of mental health from the perspective of public health.
SAMHSA provides a Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator, which is a list of mental health services and clinics. They also fund many programs in mental health services, including grant programs that support community-based organizations of violence against women (Jewkes et al., 2021).
Intervention
This concludes that an appropriate intervention program for treating individuals with mental health disorders resulting from domestic violence should involve the emergency and adequate patient treatment measures together with the legal action of the culprit. This would involve trauma treatment like CBT and the EMDR treatment. Another component of the plan is psychiatric management that involves the provision of access to psychiatrists to closely observe and oversee the administration of any necessary medication (Raju et al., 2022).
Health Issue 3: Cardiovascular Problems
Another negative health impact of domestic violence is cardiovascular diseases, which results from stress as well as physical assault of the victims. It also elevates the probabilities of hypertension, a high resting heart rate, and the risk of heart disease. Any physical confrontation or aggression during these episodes can cause damage to the cardiovascular system. Other health conditions, which result from constant stress and trauma include high blood pressure, heart attack, and even stroke (Levine, 2022).
Community Resources
1. American Heart Association (AHA): There is a vast number of patient resources for cardiovascular diseases; however, patients can seek information and support from the American Heart Association that offers information regarding heart-healthy diets, support groups, and other such assistance (AHA, 2023). The AHA is associated with consultation
on heart disease and hypertension, and it provides services for stress management, which is quite important to the survivors of domestic abuse.
2. Local Health Departments: Some of the local health departments in the United States provide programs on cardiovascular health for the community. These may include free or low cost blood pressure check, cholesterol screening, nutrition counseling and physical activity sessions (Krist et al., 2020). They also give details about chronic diseases and self- management and places to go to get further treatment from the right healthcare provider.
3. Domestic Violence Shelters with Health Services: Other organizations include Safe Horizon in New York and House of Ruth in Maryland, that provide general supportive services to survivors of domestic violence. Some of these facilities have relationships with clinics and physicians for medical requirements, such as cardiovascular tests and operations. They also provide counseling and stress management to manage the psychological effects of family violence on the heart (El‐Serag & Thurston, 2020).
Intervention
Cardiovascular issues related to domestic violence can be medical, behavioral and psychosocial issues (Patnode et al., 2022). The medical treatment intervention may involve the prescription of drugs that reduce blood pressure, ECG to check the rate of the heartbeat, and other bodily injuries that may emanate from the assault. Besides, psychological intervention, recommendations for nutrition and exercise, collaboration with other professionals, awareness campaign, and stress-related interventions should be included.
Insightful Ethical Decisions in Designing Patient-Centered Health Interventions
There are four essential principles of ethical conduct in the patient-oriented progress of health intervention. Such four principles are the principle of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. The idea of autonomy is based on the recognition of the right of the individual patient to make decisions about the medical treatment of themselves. Beneficence makes certain that the interventions create beneficial effects that improve the patient’s health condition. Non-maleficence means that the actions will not cause harm to the patient. Justice implies combining SDOH and removing health rights barriers, guaranteeing that all patients receive health interventions, regardless of their social standing. Ethical reason making regarding communication entails truthful and clear practices, patient’s rights to privacy, and cultural sensitivity (Varkey, 2021). Such practices provide confidence when putting in place these interventions and trust that they are right for the patient and as per their needs.
Practical Implications of Specific Decisions
The consequences of key decisions made in patient-centered health interventions are quite significant from the practical point of view. Emphasizing the patients’ autonomy might lead to better response to recommendations and more adherence to the proposed actions (Molina-Mula & Gallo-Estrada, 2020). However, it could also lead to patients switching to less effective or nonconventional treatments, which are in more harmony. Beneficence and non-maleficence achieve the greatest good and the least harm to the receiving party in any interaction, but the weighing of these values must be ongoing to identify and mitigate adverse effects as soon as possible.
Ethical Questions Prompting Uncertainty
Some ethical issues may create some confusion in decision-making. While practicing patient-centered care, how do we acknowledge the patient’s independence when discussing doing a procedure the patient may initially decline? That being the case, what can be done to
prevent ‘doing good’ from meaning ‘doing to’ rather than ‘doing with’ the vulnerable patients? In case all the decisions you make may harm the patient in one way or the other, how do you handle patient care? Lastly, the concept of justice raise few questions related to allocation of limited resources as well as equal treatment of individuals with varying health status. These issues present themselves as recurring ethical dilemmas to healthcare professionals, stakeholders, and patients alike.
Evaluation of Health Policy Implications for Care Coordination
The provision of care coordination is one of the areas where health policy is most effective, especially for those people who were able to survive domestic violence. The ACA also has measures such as section 2703 that aimed at implementing Health Homes for those with Medicaid with a qualifying disability (Michener, 2020). This program includes all the first-line, emergency, mental, health, sustained care, which physicians offer to address various health issues adequately. The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) entails provisions that improve assistance for not only the domestic violence victims (Goodmark, 2022). For instance, the reauthorization of VAWA in 2013 requires that healthcare professionals inquire from their clients about domestic violence and to direct them to the service as required that means that the healthcare facilities do support the survivors. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) ensures that the right mental health service is used as victims of domestic violence experience different mental health impacts (Geissler & Evans, 2019). The federal and state policies have embarked on implementing the PCMH model that aims at the positive improvement of continuity, coordination, and comprehensiveness of patient care. This model is discussed in elements of the ACA so that practices implement patient-centered care for all aspects of health. Overall, these policy provisions are intended to forging a healthcare system in which all patients are able to access efficient, integrated, concurrent, continuous and
comprehensive care for their health requirements, especially those with complicated/chronic diseases.
Priorities for Healthcare Coordination Plan
When it comes to explaining a care plan to the patient and loved ones, a care coordinator should prioritize some factors. First, one has to discuss with the patient and the family in order to understand their needs and expectations and, therefore, incorporate them into the specific model of care. Others relate to patient and family engagement in communication. The care coordinator should assist the patient and the family in setting goals that reflect patient values within the identified SMART goals (Angeli et al., 2019). This involves proper scheduling of follow-up appointments, referrals to other specialists, and making sure that everyone involved in the patient’s treatment understands the goals that have been set. Patient and family teaching regarding the condition, treatment options and what to expect is very pivotal in decision-making and home care. It is imperative to recognize the ongoing patient alterations and update the plan of care accordingly, based on evidence from research. Social and psychological needs of the patient are also fulfilled when he is given social work, mental health counseling, financial assistance, and referral to suitable community services. Thus, by prioritizing these goals, one can establish and maintain an individualized, efficient and dynamic care plan
Need for Changes in the Care Plan
Modifications are required for the care plan so that it is appropriate for this state of the patient and the care he may need. It requires constant monitoring and evaluation to identify areas of efficiency and inefficiency in an effort to adopt the most up to date research findings. This flexibility helps in managing new challenges in healthcare, improving result, and achieving the patient’s and family’s preference.
Learning Session Content Aligned with Best Practices
It is essential to identify whether learning sessions are built according to the standards and proper approaches to patients (Serrano et al., 2020). These practices are informed by reputable sources such as the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and the National Institute of Mental Health. The principles from these resources refer to common aims and purposes of learning, engaging patients, and utilizing as many approaches that can be utilized to engage the patient. The activity involves evaluating whether the sessions contain facts, whether they promote participation, and whether there is feedback for future improvement. The maintenance of these best practices in the content of learning sessions will further enhance the results, thereby enhancing the possibility of participants using the gained knowledge. They also need to ensure that teaching sessions integrate the goals of the Healthy People 2030 program as well. Thus, the teaching session will meet the goal of screening, assessing, preventing, and treating mental health disorders in order to enhance the overall quality of life of survivors of domestic violence.
Alignment with Healthy People 2030
In order to guarantee that the content of the teaching sessions matches the concept and objectives of Healthy People 2030, it is crucial to include its principles into the processes (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2020). This should include concepts that address the issue of reducing gaps in health status, eradicating health inequities, and enhancing the wellbeing of all people. Teaching-learning activities should incorporate risk reduction, promotion of healthy activities, and determining factors of health. Given that Healthy People 2030 data and evidence-based practices are integrated, better health outcomes are likely to be achieved. These goals may be taken by the learners in their practical form so as to improve the security and effectiveness of the teaching-learning sessions.
Need for Revisions
The topics presented during the sessions might have to be replaced with new, current, topical ones to reflect the Healthy People 2030 goals. This also empowers students because they are not taught facts that have become obsolete due to the fact that the content is updated in line with new information available. It can also be done depending on the feedbacks of previous sessions, which can be enhanced for better apprehension as well as motivation among the learners. In addition, the possibility of changing the sessions to meet new needs such as focus on public health and diseases is an advancement compared to the health equity and health outcomes of the sessions.
Conclusion
This discussion has discussed and defined the patient-centered health interventions for the survivors of domestic violence and care coordinators and described the ethical theories of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. This underlined patient evaluation and changes to the management plans due to existing evidence base. Therefore, to achieve health equity and optimize the results, educational sessions should be delivered as per evidence and Healthy People 2030 objectives. Reviewing is critical in order to ensure that the data provided in publications such as books and journals is current in order to boost health related intercessions.
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