BACKGROUND: It is important for rape victims to receive medical care to prevent and treat rape-related diseases and injuries, access forensic exams, and connect to needed resources. Few victims seek care, and factors associated with post-rape medical care-seeking are poorly understood. PURPOSE: The current study examined prevalence and factors associated with post-rape medical care-seeking in a national sample of women who reported a most-recent or only incident of forcible rape, and drug- or alcohol-facilitated/incapacitated rape when they were aged ≥14 years. METHODS: A national sample of U.S. adult women (N=3001) completed structured telephone interviews in 2006, and data for this study were analyzed in 2011. Logistic regression analyses examined demographic variables, health, rape characteristics, and post-rape concerns in relation to post-rape medical care-seeking among 445 female rape victims. RESULTS: A minority of rape victims (21%) sought post-rape medical attention following the incident. In the final multivariate model, correlates of medical care included black race, rape-related injury, concerns about sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy concerns, and reporting the incident to police. CONCLUSIONS: Women who experience rapes consistent with stereotypic scenarios, acknowledge the rape, report the rape, and harbor health concerns appear to be more likely to seek post-rape medical services. Education is needed to increase rape acknowledgment, awareness of post-rape services that do not require formal reporting, and recognition of the need to treat rape-related health problems.
BACKGROUND: It is important for rape victims to receive medical care to prevent and treat rape-related diseases and injuries, access forensic exams, and connect to needed resources. Few victims seek care, and factors associated with post-rape medical care-seeking are poorly understood. PURPOSE: The current study examined prevalence and factors associated with post-rape medical care-seeking in a national sample of women who reported a most-recent or only incident of forcible rape, and drug- or alcohol-facilitated/incapacitated rape when they were aged ≥14 years. METHODS: A national sample of U.S. adult women (N=3001) completed structured telephone interviews in 2006, and data for this study were analyzed in 2011. Logistic regression analyses examined demographic variables, health, rape characteristics, and post-rape concerns in relation to post-rape medical care-seeking among 445 female rape victims. RESULTS: A minority of rape victims (21%) sought post-rape medical attention following the incident. In the final multivariate model, correlates of medical care included black race, rape-related injury, concerns about sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy concerns, and reporting the incident to police. CONCLUSIONS:Women who experience rapes consistent with stereotypic scenarios, acknowledge the rape, report the rape, and harbor health concerns appear to be more likely to seek post-rape medical services. Education is needed to increase rape acknowledgment, awareness of post-rape services that do not require formal reporting, and recognition of the need to treat rape-related health problems.
Authors: Anita D Boykins; Anika A H Alvanzo; Susan Carson; Janett Forte; Monica Leisey; Stacey B Plichta Journal: J Womens Health (Larchmt) Date: 2010-03 Impact factor: 2.681
Authors: Molly L Paras; Mohammad Hassan Murad; Laura P Chen; Erin N Goranson; Amelia L Sattler; Kristina M Colbenson; Mohamed B Elamin; Richard J Seime; Larry J Prokop; Ali Zirakzadeh Journal: JAMA Date: 2009-08-05 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: Kate Walsh; Heidi M Zinzow; Christal L Badour; Kenneth J Ruggiero; Dean G Kilpatrick; Heidi S Resnick Journal: J Interpers Violence Date: 2015-04-05
Authors: Kate Walsh; Nicole R Nugent; Amelia Kotte; Ananda B Amstadter; Sheila Wang; Constance Guille; Ron Acierno; Dean G Kilpatrick; Heidi S Resnick Journal: Psychoneuroendocrinology Date: 2013-06-24 Impact factor: 4.905