Adolescent Dating Violence and Healthcare Interventions: A Systematic Scoping Review

Abstract

Adolescent dating violence (ADV) is a significant public health problem globally. Experiencing ADV is associated with several short- and long-term physical and psychological adverse health outcomes. Therefore, it is crucial to implement prevention and intervention strategies to address ADV in settings that serve adolescents. One natural point of contact is healthcare settings, as adolescents may present to these settings due to health concerns related to ADV exposure. Thus, healthcare providers are well-positioned to engage in ADV prevention and intervention strategies. However, little is known about the state of the science for how adolescent healthcare providers can participate in ADV prevention and intervention approaches, as well as the potential barriers healthcare providers may face when incorporating such strategies into their practice. To advance understanding, a systematic scoping review was conducted to summarize current evidence on 1) ADV prevention and intervention strategies in healthcare settings, and 2) healthcare provider perspectives on implementing these strategies. This review included peer-reviewed articles published in English from any time until September 2023. After excluding duplicates, the search yielded 5786 articles, 11 of which met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Overall, there were only a few studies on ADV preventive interventions designed for implementation in various healthcare settings. Common barriers identified to implementing ADV prevention and intervention strategies included limited time, training, and resources. Facilitators of implementation included ADV response protocols or guidelines and working in collaborative teams. This systematic scoping review demonstrates that further research is needed to develop and evaluate ADV prevention and intervention strategies in healthcare settings, and to understand barriers to implementing these strategies.