Barriers to inquiry about history of sexual assault during initial assessment

Abstract

History of sexual violence is a pertinent concern when providing comprehensive nursing care. One in three women and one in four men experience sexual violence within their lifetime, leading to a host of adverse health outcomes (CDC, 2020). The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2019) recommends sexual assault screening for all women using a trauma-informed care (TIC) approach. Yet, patients’ histories of sexual violence may be overlooked by healthcare providers. Principles of TIC practice have been shown to promote healing (Machtinger et al., 2019). As provider comfort with history of sexual violence inquiry may depend upon previous education (Lewis-O’Connor et al., 2019; SAMHSA, 2014), preparing the next generation of nurses to incorporate TIC approaches is important.