The Problem
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a prevalent public health crisis, defined as physical, sexual, or emotional violence between current or former partners, affecting one in four women and one in seven men in the United States. Survivors of IPV often experience long-term health consequences that extend beyond the immediate effects of injury, including emotional, financial, or safety concerns.
Despite its prevalence, IPV remains significantly under-reported to healthcare providers due to victims’ fear, societal stigma, and barriers faced in the healthcare system. Early detection of IPV is vital to prevent further escalation of violence that may become life-threatening. Although screening questionnaires have aided healthcare providers in recognizing IPV-related safety concerns, the proportion of detectable IPV cases remains low, underscoring the need for novel approaches to effectively identify and address intimate partner violence.
The Approach
Bharti Khurana, MD, MBA, an emergency radiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, received a 2019 Stepping Strong Innovator Award for developing the Automated IPV Risk Support (AIRS) tool, which uses artificial intelligence to automatically and accurately detect the risk of IPV through radiological images and a patient’s clinical history.
When an IPV victim comes to the hospital for treatment, they may have common IPV-based injuries known as “target” or “defensive” injuries. These are often visible on the victim’s head, face, arms, or hands. Dr. Khurana’s AIRS tool leverages machine learning by using a computer algorithm trained to recognize radiological images of target or defensive injuries, enabling it to detect signs of IPV and alert healthcare providers. When an injury is plausibly identified by the AIRS tool, Dr. Khurana’s team provides resources and safety planning options to empower IPV victims to make informed health decisions.
What’s Next?
On average, the AIRS tool can identify the risk of IPV four years before a patient would ordinarily self-report, with 80% accuracy. Building on this success of the Stepping Strong Innovator Award, Dr. Khurana founded the Trauma Imaging Research and Innovation Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and has received federal funding to continue her work.
Her team is now exploring an expansion of the AIRS tool that could predict future health risks associated with IPV including mental health disorders, substance use disorders, neurological problems, and gastrointestinal issues. The proposed model would result in personalized and actionable insights that enable IPV survivors to make decisions about their health and safety.
