RECORDING AND DOCUMENTING PHYSICAL INJURIES IN PATIENTS IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES DURING ARMED CONFLICT CONDITIONS
Authors: Babkina O.P. 
Published: January 2024

Background: The relevance of addressing all forms of violence against civilians during armed conflict extends beyond being a criminal offense; it constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law and human rights. Comprehensive coordination between international and national institutions, along with an interdisciplinary approach, is essential in providing legal and medical assistance, as well as socio-psychological support to victims of violence. Ukraine has developed legislative documents aimed at preventing and countering violence, ensuring the protection and respect of human rights.

Objective: To analyze and consolidate recommendations for the actions of healthcare professionals in documenting and recording physical injuries in cases of violence (physical, sexual, psychological) and providing medical and psychological assistance to victims while adhering to patient rights and ensuring their safety.

Materials and Methods: Review of legal documents and scientific-methodological publications in international electronic scientific databases such as PubMed, Embase, and Scopus using keywords.

Results: Ukraine demonstrates comprehensive collaboration among law enforcement agencies, medical institutions, forensic experts, and other services to provide timely and full assistance to victims of violence. A system of measures for preventing, countering, and preventing violence is developed and continually improved. In cases of violence, medical professionals play a crucial role in timely documentation and recording of crimes while respecting the rights and ensuring the safety of victims. Victims of physical, psychological, and sexual violence during armed conflict have the right to receive qualified free medical assistance. Medical care for victims of violence is provided in healthcare facilities at all levels, ambulatory and stationary, in accordance with healthcare protocols and industry standards. Medical professionals, when approached by victims or their legal representatives, must record complaints, collect medical history, conduct a medical examination with the documentation of physical injuries, assess the condition of the victim, and prescribe additional instrumental and laboratory examinations and measures to prevent the consequences of violence. Medical professionals must adhere to an algorithm for documenting and recording physical injuries.

Conclusion: Ukraine, like the rest of the world, employs measures to prevent and counter violence associated with armed conflicts. Recommendations for overcoming violence are continuously developed and improved, involving law enforcement, social services, medical institutions, and national and international organizations, demonstrating the implementation of European standards. The goal of providing medical assistance to victims is to overcome the negative consequences and impacts of traumatic violence on the physical and psychological health of affected individuals. Timely documentation and recording of physical injuries by medical professionals, along with diagnosing the consequences of injuries, will help gather evidence of crimes/violence, aiding in criminal investigations.