Mental health of sexual assault victims and predictors of their use of support from in-house psychologists at Belgian sexual assault care centres.

BACKGROUND: Sexual assault (SA) can induce a negative impact on victims' mental health. Specialised SA services generally offer medical care and a forensic examination to SA victims. However, there is a large variation in how these services provide mental health support. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess mental health problems of SA victims attending the Belgian Sexual Assault Care Centres (SACCs) and identify predictors for victims' use of support from in-house psychologists. METHOD: Health records of victims ≥ 16 years who presented within one week post-SA to one of the three Belgian SACCs between 25 October 2017 and 31 October 2019 were reviewed. An AIC-based stepwise backward binary logistic regression was used to analyse the association between victim, assault, service use and mental health characteristics and follow-up by a SACC-psychologist. RESULTS: Of the 555 victims, more than half had a history of mental health problems. Of those assessed, over 70% showed symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and/or anxiety disorder. One in two victims consulted a SACC-psychologist. Victims with a mental health history (OR 1.46, p = .04), victims accompanied by a support person during acute care (OR 1.51, p = .04), and victims who were assaulted by an acquaintance in comparison to those assaulted by a stranger (OR 1.60, p = .039) were more likely to attend their appointment with the SACC-psychologist. CONCLUSION: The study reaffirms the high mental health burden among victims attending specialised SA services, stressing the need to provide effective mental health interventions at these services and improve their longer-term use by victims. Prescheduling of appointments with an in-house psychologist in combination with phone reminders may improve the uptake of such services. Health care providers must be vigilant about potential barriers faced by victims without a mental health history or social support in attending appointments with mental health professionals.

The mental health burden is high among victims attending Belgian Sexual Assault Care Centres.Half of the victims use the support of an in-house psychologist. Victims with a history of mental health problems, those accompanied by a support person during acute care, and those assaulted by an acquaintance in comparison to those assaulted by a stranger, are more likely to use this support.Effective mental health support should be recognised as an integral and essential part of care for SA victims. Uptake and longer-term engagement with this mental health support should be improved for those victims diagnosed with PTSD.

Validação de um instrumento para controle de cura sifilítica em puérperas e recém-nascidos / Validation of an instrument for control syphilitic cure control in puerperal women and newborns / Validación de un instrumento para el control de la curación sifilítica en puérperas y recién nacidos

OBJETIVO: Validar um instrumento para controle de cura sifilítica em puérperas e seus RN, após alta da maternidade. MÉTODO: Design Science Research, com juízes escolhidos pela técnica "bola de neve". Seguiram-se as etapas de: levantamento bibliográfico; elaboração da tecnologia; validação pelos especialistas, avaliando a tecnologia através de um instrumento de coleta de dados ­ com uma escala de Likert e espaços para justificativas abertas. A análise dos dados foi feita pelo cálculo do Índice de Validade de Conteúdo (IVC) para cada item para o instrumento. O contato entre pesquisador e juízes se deu via e-mail. RESULTADOS: Participaram da avaliação 5 juízes especialistas. Todos os itens foram considerados relevantes (IVC≥ 0,80), gerando, para o instrumento como um todo, um IVC= 1. Os itens da seção "Identificação do(a) usuário(a)" foram incrementados; na seção "Informações diagnósticas e terapêuticas", julgou-se pertinente manter campo para registro do teste não-treponêmico, excluindo teste treponêmico. CONCLUSÃO: O instrumento foi validado, apresentando confiabilidade de implementação. A tecnologia será capaz de auxiliar profissionais da atenção primária a conduzir o controle de cura sifilítica de RN e puérperas; e poderá fortificar a comunicação entre os níveis de atenção à saúde. (AU)

Objective: To validate an instrument to control syphilitic cure in puerperal women and their newborns, after discharge from the maternity hospital. Methods: Design Science Research, with judges chosen by the "snowball" technique. The following steps were taken: bibliographic survey; development of the technology; validation by specialists, who evaluated the technology through a data collection instrument - with a Likert scale and spaces for open justifications. Data analysis was performed by calculating the Content Validity Index (CVI) at each item for the instrument. The contact between the researcher and the judges was done via e-mail. Results: Five expert judges participated in the evaluation. All items were considered relevant (CVI≥ 0.80), generating, for the instrument as a whole, a CVI= 1. The items in the section "User identification" were increased; in the section "Diagnostic and therapeutic information", it was deemed pertinent to keep the field for recording the non-treponemal test, excluding the treponemal test. Conclusion: The instrument was validated, showing its reliability for implementation. The technology will be able to assist Primary Health Care professionals to conduct the control of syphilitic cure of newborns and postpartum women; in addition, it can strengthen communication between levels of health care. (AU)

Objetivo: Validar un instrumento para el control de la curación sifilítica en puérperas y sus recién nacidos, luego del alta de la maternidad. Métodos: Design science research, con jueces elegidos mediante la técnica de "bola de nieve". Se dieron los siguientes pasos: estudio bibliográfico; desarrollo tecnológico; validación por especialistas, evaluando la tecnología a través de un instrumento de recolección de datos - con escala Likert y espacios para justificaciones abiertas. El análisis de los datos se realizó calculando el Índice de Validez de Contenido (IVC) para cada ítem del instrumento. El contacto entre el investigador y los jueces se realizó vía correo electrónico. Resultados: Cinco jueces expertos participaron en la evaluación. Todos los ítems fueron considerados relevantes (IVC ≥ 0,80), generando, para el instrumento en su conjunto, un IVC = 1. Se incrementaron los ítems del apartado "Identificación del usuario"; en el apartado "Información diagnóstica y terapéutica", se consideró pertinente mantener el campo para el registro de la prueba no treponémica, excluyendo la prueba treponémica. Conclusión: El instrumento fue validado, mostrando confiabilidad de implementación. La tecnología podrá ayudar a los profesionales de atención primaria a realizar el control de la curación sifilítica de recién nacidos y puérperas; y puede fortalecer la comunicación entre los niveles de atención de la salud. (AU)