New domestic abuse project puts focus on health of victims

The University of New Brunswick has received $1 million to start a pilot project that will treat the short and long-term health effects of domestic abuse.

The project, called iHeal, is part of a federally funded, nationwide research effort with the University of Western Ontario and the University of British Columbia. It has $3 million in funding total.

Starting in July 2018,participants will be paired for six months with community health nurses, who will provide a variety of services.

Dr. Kelly Scott-Storey, a researcher at UNB Fredericton, said the project is the result of more than 10 years of planning.

Looking at health

In looking to create more comprehensive programs for abused women, researchersfound health to be a major gap.

"There does tend to be a gap where it relates to health, and the health of women who have experienced violence," Scott-Storeysaid.

"We know that women with a history of violence come with short term and really long-term health implications, physical and mental. Things like insomnia, chronic pain, anxiety, depression are very, very high among this group of women."

The program will seek to identify these problems and treat them in a sustainable way, she said.

"All these long-term types of complications if we can start to help women recognize these symptoms and get appropriate treatment and help, and connect it to the abuse, then we can help these women lead a healthier life."

There's veryfew resources for women after theyseparate. So this really fills a gap.- Dr. KellyScott-Storey

Scott-Storeysaid previous testing showed nurses to be a good fit for the project.

She said they will supply participants with other resources when necessary, however.

"Not only with that community health nurse, but they will also help women navigate existing services that she may be unaware of or was not able to navigate on her own."

Said she hopes the project continues, because it looks after women as they continue on with life after leavingtheir abusers.

"There's very few resources for women after they separate. So this really fills a gap."