Linda Adamson’s research while affiliated with University of Manchester and other places

Background: Domestic violence exists in all communities across the world. Healthcare services have a pivotal role in the identification, assessment and response to domestic violence. As the face is a common target in assault, dentists and oral and maxillofacial surgeons are in a unique position to screen for domestic violence in the context of presentation of dental and facial injury. Owing to lack of training, dentists and oral and maxillofacial surgeons may not be the best persons to give advice to someone experiencing domestic violence. Improper advice such as encouragement to leave an abusive relationship may escalate the frequency of violence. It may be more appropriate to refer to specialist agencies for intervention and support. It would, therefore be useful to know whether screening and intervention programmes are effective. Objectives: (1) To assess the benefits and harms of intervention programmes employed to reduce and or prevent domestic violence in adults with dental and/or facial injuries. (2) To assess the benefits and harms of screening and the use of different screening tools in the detection of the proportion of adult victims of domestic violence who present with dental and/or facial injury. Search strategy: The following electronic databases were searched: the Cochrane Oral Health Group Trials Register (to 18 May 2010), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2010, Issue 2), MEDLINE via OVID (1950 to 18 May 2010), EMBASE via OVID (1980 to 18 May 2010), PsycINFO via OVID (1950 to 18 May 2010), LILACS via BIREME (1982 to 18 May 2010) and CINAHL via EBSCO (1980 to 18 May 2010). There were no restrictions regarding language or date of publication. Selection criteria: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) involving adults aged 16 years and over presenting with dental and/or facial injury relating to domestic violence in any healthcare setting. Data collection and analysis: Screening of eligible studies was conducted in duplicate and independently by two reviewers. Results were to be expressed as random effects models using mean differences for continuous outcomes and relative risk for dichotomous outcomes with 95% confidence interval. Heterogeneity was to be investigated including both clinical and methodological factors. Main results: No eligible RCTs were identified. Authors' conclusions: There is no evidence from RCTs to support or refute that screening for domestic violence in adults with dental or facial injury is beneficial nor that it causes harm. Screening tools to detect domestic violence exist but no RCTs have specifically evaluated their effectiveness for patients presenting with facial and or dental injuries. There is also lack of evidence (from RCTs) that intervention programmes are effective at reducing frequency of physical assaults and at reducing the severity of facial injuries.

Autogenous bone grafting is commonly used in reconstructive surgery but postoperative pain from the donor site can be severe, delaying early mobilisation and preventing discharge from hospital. An RCT of levobupivacaine infusion (16.25mg/h for 24h) of iliac crest wounds versus placebo. Postoperative pain was recorded immediately on returning to the ward, then at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6h, morning and evening on subsequent days until discharge, and at the 7-day clinic appointment. Mobility was recorded twice daily and at 7days. Of 46 evaluable patients, 25 were randomised to levobupivacaine and 21 to placebo. Mean pain scores for (i) average pain from initial assessment to 6h; (ii) 1day in the morning; (iii) 1day in the evening; (iv) at 2days; and (v) follow-up were all statistically significant in favour of lower pain scores in the levobupivicaine group (p-values all <0.01). Comparison between the study groups for mobility found 6 patients unable to get out of bed in the placebo group and none in the local anaesthetic group at the initial assessment (Fisher's exact test p-value=0.005), and 2 patients at 24h. Patients in the local anaesthetic group were always more mobile and this was statistically significant even at 7days for gait disturbance, limp, deviation of gait and unequalness of stride. There were no complications relating to the infusion system. Local anaesthetic significantly reduced postoperative pain and improved mobility. We recommend that surgeons use a local anaesthetic infusion to improve the postoperative experience for their patients undergoing iliac crest grafting.

There is no evidence to support or refute the effectiveness of screening and intervention programmes detecting and supporting victims of domestic violence with dental or facial injuries Many studies highlighted difficulty in measuring domestic violence because of underreporting. Screening may be helpful to identify victims of domestic violence. Screening tools exist but no studies have evaluated their effectiveness. Dentist and oral and maxillofacial surgeons are not generally trained to intervene in situations involving domestic violence. Referral to specialist agencies for intervention maybe a better option. Many intervention programmes exist either to support, reduce and/or prevent domestic violence. However, the effectiveness or harms of these intervention programmes at reducing violence have not been properly investigated in healthcare settings.