In addition to the prevalence of domestic violence against women, recent studies have suggested that disparities in bone mineral density may also play a significant role in the predisposition of facial fracture in the female population.2 Commonly cited mechanisms of injury leading to facial fracture include mechanical falls, motor vehicle collisions, and assault. Data points evaluated included patient age, fracture location, Glasgow Coma Score on presentation, length of hospital stay, and surgical and soft tissue management strategies. Readmission for a second documented occurrence of assault was identified in 26 patients (18.7%). Because of the urban location of our institution and the high volume of violence-related traumatic injuries, our study chose to focus on fractures in the female population secondary to assault. To identify potential domestic violence victims and prevent future cases of assault, appropriate screening tools, such as the HITS questionnaire (HITS is a domestic violence screening tool commonly used in family practice. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pubmed/9669164), should be implemented for all patients with suspicious patterns of injury....

Violence against Women: Facial Fractures Secondary to Assault in the Urban Female Population

10.1177/000313481808400717