# Addressing Intimate Partner Violence Among Women Veterans: Evaluating the Impact and Effectiveness of VHA's Response.

> **NIH VA I01** · VA BOSTON HEALTH CARE SYSTEM · 2020 · —

## Abstract

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is common among women Veterans (WVs), with nearly 20% of
WVs treated in Veterans Health Administration (VHA) primary care clinics experiencing past-year IPV. VHA’s
Women’s Health Services (WHS), the IPV Assistance Program, and the Offices of Primary Care and Mental
Health and Suicide Prevention developed recommendations for implementing IPV screening programs in
primary care. More than two-thirds of WV primary care patients receive care in “Model 1” (i.e., mixed-gender
primary care) and “Model 2” (i.e., separate but shared space) clinics, but uptake of screening is low in these
clinics. WHS therefore plans to use Blended Facilitation (BF) to roll out IPV screening programs in Model 1 and
Model 2 primary care clinics. Given the high number of these clinics throughout VHA, it is unclear whether
resource-intensive BF is feasible and whether a less intensive strategy (i.e., toolkit + Implementation as Usual
[IAU]) can be effective. Research is also needed on the clinical effectiveness of IPV screening programs.
Significance/Impact: Given the high prevalence of IPV among WVs and its significant health effects,
successful implementation of IPV screening programs is expected to improve healthcare services and reduce
morbidity among WV VHA patients, an HSR&D priority area.
Innovation: This study will be the most comprehensive evaluation of both the implementation impact and
clinical effectiveness of IPV screening programs globally. It is innovative in its inclusion of four strong VHA
operations partners dedicated to successful implementation of IPV screening programs. This project
capitalizes on a time-sensitive opportunity to advance IPV screening programs and implementation science.
Specific Aims: This objective of this proposal is to comprehensively evaluate two strategies for implementing
IPV screening programs through achieving three specific aims. (1) Evaluate the degree of reach, adoption,
implementation fidelity, and maintenance achieved using two implementation strategies for IPV screening
programs. (2) Evaluate the clinical effectiveness of IPV screening programs, as evidenced by disclosure rates
and post-screening psychosocial service use. (3) Identify multi-level barriers to and facilitators of IPV screening
program implementation and sustainment.
Methodology: We propose a cluster randomized, stepped wedge, Hybrid Type II program evaluation design to
compare the impact of two implementation strategies (BF + toolkit vs. toolkit + IAU) and the clinical
effectiveness of IPV screening programs. We propose a mixed methods approach to collect quantitative
(clinical records data) and qualitative (key informant interviews) implementation outcomes (Aims 1 and 3), as
well as quantitative (clinical records data) clinical effectiveness outcomes (Aim 2). We will supplement these
data collection methods with surveys to assess implementation strategies survey to be completed pre-BF,
post-BF, and in the maintenance...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9835165
- **Project number:** 1I01HX002807-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** VA BOSTON HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
- **Principal Investigator:** Katherine M Iverson
- **Activity code:** I01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2019-11-01 → 2023-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9835165

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9835165, Addressing Intimate Partner Violence Among Women Veterans: Evaluating the Impact and Effectiveness of VHA's Response. (1I01HX002807-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9835165. Licensed CC0.

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