Nicole A Short1, Megan Lechner2, Benjamin S McLean1, Andrew S Tungate1, Jenny Black3, Jennie A Buchanan4, Rhiannon Reese5, Jeffrey D Ho6, Gordon D Reed7, Melissa A Platt8, Ralph J Riviello9, Catherine H Rossi10, Patricia P Nouhan11, Carolyn A Phillips12, Sandra L Martin1, Israel Liberzon13, Sheila A M Rauch14, Kenneth A Bollen1, Ronald C Kessler15, Samuel A McLean1. 1. Department of Anesthesiology, Institute for Trauma Recovery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. 2. Forensic Nurse Examiner Team, UC Health Memorial Hospital, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. 3. Austin SAFE, The SAFE Alliance, Austin, Texas, USA. 4. Department of Emergency Medicine, Denver Health, Denver, Colorado, USA. 5. Sexual Assault Services, Crisis Center Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA. 6. Department of Emergency Medicine, Hennepin Healthcare, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. 7. Department of Emergency Medicine, Christiana Care, Newark, Delaware, USA. 8. Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA. 9. Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, Texas, USA. 10. Forensic Nursing Program, Cone Health, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA. 11. Department of Emergency Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA. 12. Department of Emergency Medicine, DC SANE, Washington, District of Columbia, USA. 13. Department of Psychiatry, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas, USA. 14. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. 15. Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Approximately, 100,000 US women receive emergency care after sexual assault each year, but no large-scale study has examined the incidence of posttraumatic sequelae, receipt of health care, and frequency of assault disclosure to providers. The current study evaluated health outcomes and service utilization among women in the 6 weeks after sexual assault. METHODS: Women ≥18 years of age presenting for emergency care after sexual assault to twelve sites were approached. Among those willing to be contacted for the study (n = 1080), 706 were enrolled. Health outcomes, health care utilization, and assault disclosure were assessed via 6 week survey. RESULTS: Three quarters (76%) of women had posttraumatic stress, depression, or anxiety, and 65% had pain. Less than two in five reported seeing health care provider; receipt of care was not related to substantive differences in symptoms and was less likely among Hispanic women and women with a high school education or less. Nearly one in four who saw a primary care provider did not disclose their assault, often due to shame, embarrassment, or fear of being judged. CONCLUSION: Most women receiving emergency care after sexual assault experience substantial posttraumatic sequelae, but health care in the 6 weeks after assault is uncommon, unrelated to substantive differences in need, and limited in socially disadvantaged groups. Lack of disclosure to primary care providers was common among women who did receive care.
BACKGROUND: Approximately, 100,000 US women receive emergency care after sexual assault each year, but no large-scale study has examined the incidence of posttraumatic sequelae, receipt of health care, and frequency of assault disclosure to providers. The current study evaluated health outcomes and service utilization among women in the 6 weeks after sexual assault. METHODS: Women ≥18 years of age presenting for emergency care after sexual assault to twelve sites were approached. Among those willing to be contacted for the study (n = 1080), 706 were enrolled. Health outcomes, health care utilization, and assault disclosure were assessed via 6 week survey. RESULTS: Three quarters (76%) of women had posttraumatic stress, depression, or anxiety, and 65% had pain. Less than two in five reported seeing health care provider; receipt of care was not related to substantive differences in symptoms and was less likely among Hispanic women and women with a high school education or less. Nearly one in four who saw a primary care provider did not disclose their assault, often due to shame, embarrassment, or fear of being judged. CONCLUSION: Most women receiving emergency care after sexual assault experience substantial posttraumatic sequelae, but health care in the 6 weeks after assault is uncommon, unrelated to substantive differences in need, and limited in socially disadvantaged groups. Lack of disclosure to primary care providers was common among women who did receive care.
Authors: Heidi S Resnick; Ron Acierno; Ananda B Amstadter; Shannon Self-Brown; Dean G Kilpatrick Journal: Addict Behav Date: 2007-01-11 Impact factor: 3.913
Authors: Samuel A McLean; April C Soward; Lauren E Ballina; Catherine Rossi; Suzanne Rotolo; Rebecca Wheeler; Kelly A Foley; Jayne Batts; Terry Casto; Renee Collette; Debra Holbrook; Elizabeth Goodman; Sheila A M Rauch; Israel Liberzon Journal: J Pain Date: 2012-06-13 Impact factor: 5.820
Authors: Mara Buchbinder; Elizabeth R Brassfield; Andrew S Tungate; Kristen D Witkemper; Teresa D'Anza; Megan Lechner; Kathy Bell; Jenny Black; Jennie Buchanan; Rhiannon Reese; Jeffrey Ho; Gordon Reed; Melissa Platt; Ralph Riviello; Catherine Rossi; Patricia Nouhan; Carolyn A Phillips; Sandra L Martin; Israel Liberzon; Sheila A M Rauch; Kenneth Bollen; Samuel A McLean Journal: J Am Coll Emerg Physicians Open Date: 2021-07-03