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• The COVID-19 pandemic has increased rates and severity of intimate partner violence. • The pandemic has amplified existing challenges for Indigenous and remote communities. • Increased awareness of brain injury is needed among survivors and professionals. • Health care professionals need to be better equipped to support survivors. • Peer navigators are a powerful support for survivors. Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects 1 in 3 women and has intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although most injuries are to the head, face, and neck, leaving survivors vulnerable to sustaining traumatic brain injury (TBI), the intersection of IPV and TBI remains largely unrecognized. This article reports on COVID-19–related effects, barriers, needs, and priorities to health care and support services for women survivors of IPV-TBI. Using a participatory research model, we engaged 30 stakeholders in virtual meetings drawn from an IPV-TBI Knowledge to Practice Network in two virtual meetings. Stakeholders included women survivors, service providers, researchers, and decision makers across the IPV, TBI, and healthcare sectors. Data were gathered through small group breakout sessions facilitated by the research team using semistructured discussion guides. Sessions were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis techniques. Stakeholders were given the opportunity to contribute to the analysis and knowledge transfer through member checking activities. Ethics approval was obtained through the University of Toronto. Stakeholders shared that COVID-19 has increased rates and severity of IPV and barriers to services and help-seeking. These effects have been exacerbated by infrastructure difficulties in rural and remote areas, including limited access to services. They noted the need to carefully consider implications of virtual care such as safety, privacy, and usability. Requests from survivors for peer support have increased significantly, indicating a need for more formalized and better-supported peer roles. Stakeholders further noted that an overwhelming lack of awareness of the intersection of IPV-TBI continues. Increasing education and awareness among health care and IPV service providers, survivors, and the public remains a priority. The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified IPV-TBI, increased challenges for women survivors, and accentuated the continued lack of IPV-TBI awareness. Key recommendations for health care and rehabilitation to address this priority are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects up to 1 in 3 women over their lifetime and has intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although most injuries are to the head, face and neck, the intersection of IPV and brain injury (BI) remains largely unrecognized. Our main objective was to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on survivors and service providers. This project used a qualitative, participatory approach using semi-structured individual or group interviews. Interviews were conducted via videoconferencing, audio recorded, and transcribed. Transcripts were thematically analyzed by the research team to identify themes. The study took place in the general community and included participants from across Canada. Purposeful sampling through the team's national Knowledge-to-Practice (K2P) Network and snowball sampling were used to recruit 24 participants across 4 categories: survivors, executive directors/managers of organizations serving survivors, direct service providers, and employer/union representatives. N/A. N/A. COVID-19 has increased rates and severity of IPV and barriers to services, both in terms of provision and uptake. Three main themes emerged: (1) implications for women survivors of IPV/BI; (2) implications for service delivery and service providers supporting women survivors of IPV/BI; and (3) key priorities. Increased risk, complex challenges to mental health, and the impact on employment were discussed. Adaptability and flexibility of service delivery were identified as significant issues and increased outreach and adaptation of technology-based services were noted as key priorities. The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified IPV/BI, increased challenges for women survivors and service providers, and accentuated the continued lack of IPV/BI awareness. Recommendations for service delivery and uptake are discussed. Nothing to disclose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the types and contexts of rehabilitation care currently available for survivors of IPV, opportunities identified in the literature for rehabilitation care, and IPV awareness and education of rehabilitation care providers. Ten databases were comprehensively searched to identify articles related to IPV and the rehabilitation professions of interest. This search was complimented by a grey literature search of relevant IPV, gender-based violence, and rehabilitation organizations. Searches were not limited by language, year of publication, or geographic location. Two reviewers independently assessed articles for inclusion based on the following criteria: (1) Describe or evaluate a rehabilitation intervention or opportunity for intervention, or an educational or awareness intervention for rehabilitation professionals; AND (2) focus on selected rehabilitation professionals (occupational therapist, physiotherapist, speech language pathologists, physiatrists); AND (3) focus on interventions for or about adult survivors of IPV. One researcher independently extracted data which was peer reviewed by a second reviewer. Extracted information included publication details (author, year, location), study details (objective, design, setting), and information on study populations, interventions, and outcomes, when appropriate. Included articles ranged from primary research articles to clinical newsletter articles. While all rehabilitation professionals of interest were represented in the included articles, most focused on occupational therapy (>70%). A large majority of articles (>70%) suggested opportunities for rehabilitation professionals to support survivors of IPV. Most provided an overview of IPV followed by recommendations for rehabilitation professionals in supporting survivors. The remaining examined specific interventions for IPV survivors (< 15%) or assessed for knowledge, attitudes, or beliefs about IPV (< 15%). To our knowledge, this is the first scoping review addressing the rehabilitation literature for IPV survivors. Though still preliminary, these findings suggest there is an awareness of IPV among rehabilitation professionals, the importance of identifying IPV in clients, and the ways in which rehabilitation professionals are uniquely situated to support survivors of IPV. There remains opportunity to explore interventions designed specifically for IPV survivors. The authors have no conflicts to disclose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effectiveness of a one-time educational intervention on sex (i.e., biological attributes) and gender (i.e., norms, responsibilities) influences in traumatic brain injury (TBI) for patients and caregivers. Pilot pre-test/post-test randomized control-group study design. Zoom and the University Health Network Research Electronic Data Capture application, of the KITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute UHN, Ontario, Canada. Sixteen individuals with TBI and caregivers (75% persons with TBI, 63% women). Participants were randomly allocated into passive, active or control groups. The passive group received 90-minutes of lecture delivering content, and the active group received the same content in a session structured to foster interaction and dialogue. The control group did not receive any education. All participants completed a pre- and post-test questionnaire measuring knowledge, attitude, and skill towards educational content. Individual and group learning gains, and group-average normalized gain (aNG) for knowledge, attitude, and skill were calculated. An aNG of ≥ 30% substantiated the intervention's effectiveness. Both educational methods led to improvements in participants' scores on knowledge, attitude, and skill. The highest aNG was observed in the passive group (i.e., 100% for knowledge, 50% for attitude, 37% for skill). The active and control groups did not demonstrate an aNG of ≥ 30%, except for the attitude domain of the control group (∼33%). Positive feedback on content, organization, and utilization of the intervention was received. A passive educational intervention on sex and gender in TBI may be beneficial for persons with TBI and caregivers. Further research is needed to explore the effects of active engagement on knowledge, attitude, and skill acquisition. No conflict to disclose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]