Women's Health
Ask the doctor: Why did the doctor ask about my marital relationship?
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Q. I recently went to the emergency room after I accidentally banged my head against a door frame and came away with a big bump and black eye. The doctor caring for me asked me questions about my relationship with my husband. Why did he do that?
A. Actually, it's great that he did! He was probably concerned that you might have been the victim of abuse and was likely trying to determine whether someone had inflicted that injury on you. In nearly every state, health care professionals, long-term care facility personnel, and mental health professionals must report elder abuse. For the purposes of reporting, "elder" is defined as 60 years or older.
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