Majority of US men want their doctors to ask about intimate partner violence

Nine out of 10 U.S. men ages 18 to 35 support health care providers asking about intimate partner violence, according to new survey analysis. Data from a 2014 nationally representative survey showed that while most men support health care-based intimate partner violence screenings, only about 10 percent reported being asked by their doctor. Men who reported lower levels of education were most likely to be asked, but support for screenings varied by race and past experience with such violence. Black non-Hispanic men were less likely to think doctors should ask. Victims of intimate partner violence were more likely to support screening.

The study notes that overall, about 17 percent of the 916 respondents reported experiences of physical violence with their partners, and a majority of men—56 percent—said they had been both a victim and perpetrator. Authors note that, "When young men seek health care with their primary care physician, those health care encounters offer opportunities to identify intimate partner violence." Understanding the attitudes and experiences of men may help primary care clinicians tailor their conversations, support and referrals.