4.5 Article

Emergency department visits in Connecticut for survivors of sexual assault before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Journal

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE
Volume 67, Issue -, Pages 97-99

Publisher

W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2023.02.010

Keywords

Sexual assault; COVID-19; Sexual violence

Ask authors/readers for more resources

This study evaluates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on care for survivors of sexual assault in three urban emergency departments in the United States. The study found an increase in emergency department presentations for sexual assault during the pandemic, but a decrease in calls to sexual assault advocates, indicating a disruption in their care.
Study objective: We evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on care for survivors of sexual assault in three urban Emergency Departments (ED) in the United States.Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on patients who presented after sexual assault to three EDs during 6-month intervals before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. We excluded individuals <18 years old. We performed a structured chart review to ascertain demographics, ED treatments, and adherence to guidelines for care of sexual assault survivors.Results: Of 105 patients who received care after a sexual assault, 57 presented during the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority were female, White/Caucasian, and presented within 120 h of sexual assault. There was an increase in ED presentations for sexual assault during the pandemic. While there was no difference in medical care, there were fewer sexual assault advocates called during the pandemic. In addition, there was an increase in non-White survivors in the first 3 months of the pandemic that did not remain at 6 months.Conclusion: The care of survivors in the ED was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. While medical care remained similar, fewer calls to sexual assault advocates, a key component of ED and long-term care of survivors, demonstrate a disruption in their care.(c) 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Authors

I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.

Reviews

Primary Rating

4.5
Not enough ratings

Secondary Ratings

Novelty
-
Significance
-
Scientific rigor
-
Rate this paper

Recommended

No Data Available
No Data Available