WOMEN DRUG ABUSERS AND POST SEXUAL ASSAULT CARE

DESCRIPTION: (Applicant's Abstract) The purpose of this study is to identify and describe barriers and facilitators to sexual assault care for substance using/abusing women. Using a health services research model as a conceptual framework, this study will identify, describe and analyze the victims': (a) predisposing, enabling and need variables; (b) health seeking behaviors in response to a sexual assault; (c) general experiences with sexual assault acute care; (d) perceptions of the role of alcohol and substance use/abuse in victim-staff interactions surrounding post-assault care; (e) satisfaction with care and (f) perceived post-assault well-being and health status. Focus groups and individual interviews of substance abusing and non-abusing users and non-users of post sexual assault care will provide the data for this qualitative, exploratory study. This proposed study provides pilot data for future studies that will a) minimize the impact of sexual assault on substance-abusing women; b) improve access to victim-centered sexual assault acute care; and c) facilitate entrance into substance abuse treatment by using victim-centered sexual assault acute care.