Postexposure prophylaxis for victims of sexual assault: treatments and attitudes of emergency department physicians

Contraception
Arvind BakhruMichelle C Fox

Abstract

Emergency departments (EDs) are the primary source of care for victims of sexual assault (SA). Provision of emergency contraception (EC) to these women has previously been noted to be sporadic. Completeness of care for victims of SA and the barriers to complete care are further investigated in this study. All ED attending physicians in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia were identified and contacted for participation; 35% completed the survey. Practice patterns were analyzed for the 67% of physicians who do not refer SA victims to other hospitals. We found that 83% of physicians "always" or "usually" offer EC, but only half prescribe EC more than 48 h postassault. While most (89%) typically offer prophylaxis for STDs other than HIV, only 45% offer or counsel on HIV prophylaxis. Physician attitudes and hospital protocols were significant modifiers. Sexual assault victims are often not offered comprehensive care including prophylaxis against pregnancy and all STDs including HIV. Additional research is warranted to determine why physicians do not routinely offer HIV prophylaxis after SA.

References

Jun 1, 1980·Annals of Emergency Medicine·S TalbertR F Edlich
Aug 1, 1996·American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology·M M HolmesC L Best
Sep 10, 1998·American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology·M M HolmesD Frampton
Apr 6, 1999·The American Journal of Medicine·J D BambergerM H Katz
Jun 29, 2000·Current Opinion in Obstetrics & Gynecology·P C Ho
Mar 23, 2001·American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology·I RodriguesJ Joly
Sep 10, 2003·Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America·Michael CantuAlice J Lindner
May 17, 2005·Lancet·Paul Bissell, Claire Anderson
Jun 30, 2005·American Journal of Public Health·Kenneth D RosenbergJihong Liu
Jul 28, 2005·Annals of Emergency Medicine·Teresa Harrison
Jul 28, 2005·Annals of Emergency Medicine·Jean Abbott
Nov 11, 2005·Journal of Traumatic Stress·Stacey KaltmanBonnie L Green
Jul 10, 2007·Journal of the American College of Surgeons·UNKNOWN American College Of Radiology

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jul 16, 2013·International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics : the Official Organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics·Ashlesha PatelLouis Keith
Apr 21, 2011·Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy·David Rey
Apr 30, 2013·Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine·Sheila A Connery
Nov 26, 2015·Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America·Holly Bullock, Jennifer Salcedo
Feb 26, 2016·Ciência & saúde coletiva·Alberto Pereira Madeiro, Debora Diniz
Nov 28, 2017·The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care : JANAC·Meredith ScannellBarbara J Guthrie
Jan 5, 2019·Health Care for Women International·Jean Marie S PlaceAngélica Valenzuela

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.

Related Papers

International Journal for Quality in Health Care : Journal of the International Society for Quality in Health Care
Brigette HalesWilliam Sibbald
Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America
Judith A Linden
© 2021 Meta ULC. All rights reserved