Main Menu | Introduction | Goals and Objectives | 28 Initiatives | Monitoring and Evaluation
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Heidi Resnick, PhD College of Medicine |
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Specific Aims:
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Many rape victims suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, substance abuse, and panic symptoms. Additionally, their initial examination in an emergency room can be very distressing. As a result, victims may avoid getting appropriate follow-up medical care. Dr. Resnick and her colleagues from several departments of the Medical University of South Carolina and a volunteer group (People Against Rape) have designed a model program to treat rape victims outside the emergency room setting by a specially trained multidisciplinary team. This program provides funds to pay volunteer nurses, medical doctors, and medical students who are on 24-hour call, 365 days per year to provide services that help reduce the stress and encourage physical and psychological recovery from rape. In addition, the project will pay for blood tests for a study of the body's chemical reactions to stress and recovery from rape, as well as tests for pregnancy, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases during two follow-up medical visits. A significant number of these services will be provided to women in historically underserved populations in Charleston. Changing the location of the rape victims' examinations and having specially trained staff available early in their treatments will be evaluated by assessing a variety of outcomes, including mental and physical health effects. |
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Results:
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The program showed a video to a random sample of rape victims while they were in the emergency room undergoing treatment. The women who viewed the video proved to have a significant decrease in anxiety by the end of the medical examination. Additionally, ongoing medical care and emotional support were provided six (6) weeks and six (6) months following the rape at a SAFE clinic. The women undergoing the SAFE clinics treatment were significantly less likely to use alcohol and other drugs by six (6) weeks following the rape. | ||
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Contributions: Several hospitals in SC are interested in using the video in their emergency rooms. The program results were featured at a C.D.C. conference on sexual assault treatment with a view toward distributing the video to hospitals across the country. The video is being translated into Spanish to assist Hispanic women victims. |
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Dr. Heidi Resnick, PhD, is Associate Professor with the College of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. You may obtain further information regarding her work with Multidisciplinary Treatment of Acute and Long Term Health Effects of Rape Victimization by e-mailing Dr. Resnick at resnickh@musc.edu. |