The Right to Say No: Why Adult Sexual Assault Patients Decline Medical Forensic Exams and Sexual Assault Kit Evidence Collection
| Autor: | Katie Gregory, Lauren Vollinger, Rebecca Campbell, McKenzie Javorka, Wenjuan Ma |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
Male medicine.medical_specialty Nursing (miscellaneous) MEDLINE Disclosure Pathology and Forensic Medicine Young Adult 03 medical and health sciences Forensic nursing Humans Medicine Disabled Persons Prospective Studies Physical Examination Crime Victims 0505 law Sexual assault 030504 nursing business.industry Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Sex Offenses 05 social sciences Age Factors Law enforcement General Medicine Patient Acceptance of Health Care Forensic science Psychiatry and Mental health Issues ethics and legal aspects Family medicine 050501 criminology Female Forensic Nursing Evidence collection Pshychiatric Mental Health 0305 other medical science business Law Healthcare providers |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Forensic Nursing. 17:3-13 |
| ISSN: | 1939-3938 1556-3693 |
| DOI: | 10.1097/jfn.0000000000000315 |
| Popis: | Introduction The International Association of Forensic Nurses (2018) affirms the importance of evidence-based, trauma-informed, patient-centered forensic nursing services that engage patients as autonomous decision makers. Past research indicates that forensic nurses consistently respect patients' choices and control as they navigate the decisions of medical forensic examinations (MFEs) and sexual assault kit (SAK) collection. Building on that work, this study examined which options patients decline and what factors are associated with those declination decisions. Method We collected prospective data from seven state-funded sexual assault nurse examiner programs. Forensic nurses recorded information about all adult sexual assault patients (N = 783) regarding four primary decisions: whether to have a MFE, whether to consent to all parts of the MFE or to decline specific services, whether to have a SAK collected, and whether to release the SAK to law enforcement for forensic DNA testing. Results Most patients consented to a MFE (95%), to all parts of the MFE (81%), to SAK collection (99%), and to release the SAK for forensic DNA testing (80%). Younger patients and those with disabilities were more likely to decline some options. Patients who had not disclosed the assault to others before seeking sexual assault nurse examiner care were also more likely to decline a MFE. Whether patients sought post assault care for more health-focused reasons or legally focused reasons was associated with declination decisions. Conclusions Healthcare providers should communicate clearly about each step in post assault care and allow patients to decline services as they choose. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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