PhD R.E. (Roos) Ruijne

Below is a brief summary of the dissertation:

Severe mental illnesses are long-term psychiatric conditions that often come with issues like poverty, addiction, and violence. Many patients with these illnesses either become victims or perpetrators of domestic violence. Being a victim of domestic violence can seriously impact both physical and mental health, and people with severe mental illness are at much higher risk than the general population.

Even though many of these patients are receiving mental health care, domestic violence often goes unnoticed. This is partly because the topic is still taboo, and mental health professionals may not always know how to handle it or lack the resources to provide proper help.

This study looked at the risk factors for domestic violence in psychiatric patients and explored ways to improve its detection within mental health services. The BRAVE study, conducted in Rotterdam and The Hague, focused on training mental health teams to better identify domestic violence and improve referrals to specialized services.

While the training improved professionals' knowledge and skills, the detection rates of domestic violence among patients remained low. This suggests that more is needed, such as mandatory screening and better collaboration between healthcare providers, to effectively tackle domestic violence and provide quicker, more accessible support.