Connecting the Dots: State Health Department Approaches to Addressing Shared Risk and Protective Factors Across Multiple Forms of Violence

Abstract

Violence takes many forms, including intimate partner violence, sexual violence, child abuse and neglect, bullying, suicidal behavior, and elder abuse and neglect. These forms of violence are interconnected and often share the same root causes. They can also co-occur together in families and communities and can happen at the same time or at different stages of life. Often, due to a variety of factors, separate, “siloed” approaches are used to address each form of violence. However, understanding and implementing approaches that prevent and address the overlapping root causes of violence (risk factors) and promote factors that increase the resilience of people and communities (protective factors) can help practitioners more effectively and efficiently use limited resources to prevent multiple forms of violence and save lives. This article presents approaches used by 2 state health departments, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, to integrate a shared risk and protective factor approach into their violence prevention work and identifies key lessons learned that may serve to inform crosscutting violence prevention efforts in other states.

Understanding and contextualizing teen dating violence

“…Conflicts in relationships among parents can influence beliefs and behaviors about what is acceptable in their own relationships. 26 Violence in childhood, even indirect (witnessing conflicts among parents) and economic vulnerability are presented as risk factors for violence in relations of intimacy. 26 The study, mentioned above, carried out in the city of Porto Alegre, confirms that adolescents want an open dialogue with their parents.…”

“…26 Violence in childhood, even indirect (witnessing conflicts among parents) and economic vulnerability are presented as risk factors for violence in relations of intimacy. 26 The study, mentioned above, carried out in the city of Porto Alegre, confirms that adolescents want an open dialogue with their parents. However, there are gaps between what is idealized and what happens in reality.…”

“…The literature has pointed out that many forms of violence are interconnected and generally share the same roots, and may occur together in families and communities, and at the same time or throughout life cycles. 26 Understanding and implementing approaches that prevent risk factors and promote protection that are common to various types and manifestations of violence can help practitioners use limited resources to prevent violence and save lives more efficiently. 26 Nursing and health should guide their agenda in the recognition of adolescent care as emancipatory, comprehensive, contextual and dialogic practice.…”

“…26 Understanding and implementing approaches that prevent risk factors and promote protection that are common to various types and manifestations of violence can help practitioners use limited resources to prevent violence and save lives more efficiently. 26 Nursing and health should guide their agenda in the recognition of adolescent care as emancipatory, comprehensive, contextual and dialogic practice. Therefore, it is suggested the search for references that respect the non-universality of the adolescent being and the several aspects that vulnerabilize or protect them, in an interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral way.…”

Catalyzing State Public Health Agency Actions to Prevent Injuries and Violence: Introductory Remarks

“…5 The current Core cooperative agreement, Core State Violence and Injury Prevention Program (SVIPP), requires states to report indicators that measure impact on morbidity and mortality, as well as measures for shared risk and protective factors; this allows for an intermediate measure of impact that is not captured in morbidity and mortality data alone. 6 As described by Wilkins et al, 7 through working with practice and research partners, DARPI recognized that until practitioners can work with systemic and structural risks, their interventions will not reach the level of intensity, scale, influence, and sustainability that is required to make a difference at the population level.…”