GBV Antenatal Screening

NSW Aboriginal and Antenatal Screening Impact study (NAAnSI)

Funding agency: National Health and Medical Research Council and New South Wales Health Department
Duration: 2012-2014

Intimate partner violence is the lead contributor to the burden of disease for Australian women aged 15-44 years (Vichealth 2004) and 2 to 5 times more prevalent among Aboriginal women (Willis 2011). The NSW Health policy for routine screening was introduced to improve identification and responsiveness to domestic violence. This study on Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women’s experiences of routine screening for intimate partner violence in antenatal clinics will test a model on women’s decisions to disclose abuse in response to screening and their perceptions about the impact of screening. The many barriers to mainstream service use faced by Aboriginal women and their collective experiences of trauma and racism point to the importance of understanding their experience of this policy which has been embedded into health service delivery across the state of New South Wales in Australia. The project will operate in eight sites and has been designed and will be implemented in partnership with Aboriginal community controlled organizations.  The study incorporates a trainee Aboriginal research officer position.

Key contact 
Dr Jo Spangaro: j.spangaro@unsw.edu.au