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Journal article
Health and wellbeing of survivors of sexual violence and abuse attending sexual assault referral centres in England: the MESARCH mixed-methods evaluation
Health and Social Care Delivery Research, Vol.12(35), pp.1-133
2024
PMID: 39422255
Abstract
Background
One million people in England and Wales experience sexual violence and abuse each year, with nearly half experiencing serious sexual offences; around 30,000 survivors access sexual assault referral centres.
Objectives
This research was commissioned by National Institute for Health and Care Research to evaluate access, interventions and care pathways for survivors, especially those provided through sexual assault referral centres.
Design, setting, participants
The sexual assault referral centres care pathway was investigated through six sub-studies. There were two Cochrane Reviews (4274 participants). Seventy-two providers and 5 survivors were interviewed at eight sites; the children and young people study involved 12 participants from two sexual assault referral centres. A cohort study involving three-wave data collection over 1 year (21 sites; 2602 service users screened, 337 recruited) used a multilevel modelling framework to explore risk factors for burden of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms at baseline and change at 1 year. We analysed costs and outcomes and conducted a narrative analysis (41 survivors). We worked closely with survivors and prioritised the safety/welfare of participants and researchers.
Results
Cochrane Reviews identified large effects from psychosocial interventions for post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Sexual assault referral centres delivered a high-quality frontline service for survivors but groups experiencing domestic abuse and some ethnic and cultural minorities were under-represented. The qualitative research emphasised inter-agency collaboration for survivor benefit. The cohort study identified a risk ‘triad’ of adverse childhood experiences, poor mental health and economic deprivation, which was associated with baseline trauma burden. There were important improvements in trauma symptoms a year later. These improvements were unrelated to different sexual assault referral centre models. Costs and other outcomes were also similar across models. Harmful policing and justice practices/procedures were identified by 25% of participants. In this context, trauma-competent interviewing techniques, regular/timely updates and conveying case decisions with care signalled good practice.
Limitations
The cohort study lacked a comparison group, reducing confidence in the finding that access to sexual assault referral centres explained the reduction observed in post-traumatic stress disorder.
Conclusions and future work
Barriers to access call for concerted efforts to implement trauma-informed universal health services. The risk ‘triad’ underscores the value of holistic approaches to care at sexual assault referral centres and timely follow-on care. Poor mental health was the main barrier to service access beyond sexual assault referral centres. The persistence of trauma symptoms a year after accessing sexual assault referral centres signals urgent need for tackling counselling wait-lists, expanding support options and commitment to lifelong care. Multidisciplinary evaluation of sexual assault referral centres for better health provides a foundation for advancing trauma-informed practices in the context of sexual violence and abuse.
Study registration
This study is registered as ISRCTN30846825 https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN30846825
Details
- Title
- Health and wellbeing of survivors of sexual violence and abuse attending sexual assault referral centres in England: the MESARCH mixed-methods evaluation
- Authors
- Lorna J O'Doherty (Corresponding Author) - Coventry UniversityGrace Carter - Coventry UniversityEmma Sleath - University of LeicesterKatherine Brown - University of HertfordshireSarah Brown - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Law and SocietyEleanor Lutman-White - Coventry UniversityLouise Jackson - University of BirminghamJon Heron - University of BristolPriya Tek Kalsi - Coventry UniversityOlufunmilola C Ladeinde - Coventry UniversityDianne Whitfield - Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS TrustRachel Caswell - University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation TrustMillicent Gant - Juniper Lodge Sexual Assault Referral Centre (United Kingdom)Gemma Halliwell - The Green House (United Kingdom)Riya Patel - Coventry UniversityGene Feder - University of Bristol
- Publication details
- Health and Social Care Delivery Research, Vol.12(35), pp.1-133
- Publisher
- National Institute of Health Research
- Date published
- 2024
- DOI
- 10.3310/CTGF3870
- ISSN
- 2755-0079; 2755-0060
- PMID
- 39422255
- Copyright note
- Copyright © 2024 O’Doherty et al. This work was produced by O’Doherty et al. under the terms of a commissioning contract issued by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. This is an Open Access publication distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 4.0 licence, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, reproduction and adaptation in any medium and for any purpose provided that it is properly attributed. See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. For attribution the title, original author(s), the publication source – NIHR Journals Library, and the DOI of the publication must be cited.
- Grant note
- This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health and Social Care Delivery Research programme (NIHR award ref: 16/117/04) and is published in full in Health and Social Care Delivery Research; Vol. 12, No. 35.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Law and Society; Sexual Violence Research and Prevention Unit; School of Law and Criminology - Legacy
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991079398402621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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