AI & Preventing Domestic Violence
AI Screening Tool Helps Predict Risk and Prevent Domestic Violence
One in 4 women and 1 in 7 men in the United States experience intimate partner violence (IPV). Health care providers, especially those in the emergency department (ED), are often the first point-of-contact to identify signs of domestic violence.
Bharti Khurana, MD, MBA, Mass General Brigham emergency radiologist and director of the Trauma Imaging Research and Innovation Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, recently developed an algorithm that identifies victims of IPV earlier and more accurately. Automated intimate partner violence risk support (AIRS) system is a software that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to predict a patient’s risk of IPV and connect victims with resources and support.
“Intimate partner violence is a cycle of abuse — there are escalating injuries over time,” said Dr. Khurana during a recent report on WBZ News, the Boston-area CBS affiliate. “We don’t want to wait until this [escalation] happens. We want to diagnose long before that.”
AIRS evaluates patient records for signs of domestic violence
AIRS combines logical reasoning with a patient’s clinical history to recognize the signs of IPV. Clues like repeat ED visits, fractures, canceled screenings, or medications can all point to possible domestic violence.
Patients experiencing IPV often also have a history of x-rays documenting target or defensive injuries. Target injuries are areas that an abuser typically attacks, such as the facial bones around the cheeks or eyes. Defensive injuries indicate that the victim tried to protect themselves. For example, a broken arm bone near the pinky finger can indicate that the patient held their arm up to protect their face. Contrastingly, a broken arm bone near the thumb points to a patient who tried to catch themselves during a fall.
The major benefit of AIRS is that it reviews information exponentially faster than a human could, with up to 80% accuracy. “I’m an emergency radiologist, so I’m a gatekeeper,” said Dr. Khurana. “I look at imaging studies, decide if that patient should stay here and get admitted or discharged... For non-accidental trauma in children, we do such an excellent job. And then, when it comes to adults, we were not doing anything. So, I got motivated.”
Identifying intimate partner violence earlier
Dr. Khurana’s data shows that AIRS has enabled healthcare providers to identify at-risk patients up to four years earlier than they’d typically self-report. The screening tool also empowers clinicians to discuss IPV with more nuance. Dr. Khurana and her team have created conversation guides to help trauma physicians, primary care providers, patient advocates, and other clinicians approach these discussions.
Dr. Khurana and her research team have obtained 7,000 new images and grant funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to further study and refine AIRS. They’ve also begun a new project designed to identify future risks associated with IPV, such as gastrointestinal disorders, neurological issues, mental health conditions, and substance use disorder.
“What I’ve learned from patients is that [this tool] gives them empowerment. They understand they are not alone. It gives them resources and support. We can actually stop violence and prevent further issues.
