Barriers to Care and Healthcare Utilization by Active-Duty Military Victims of Sexual Assault

An abstract of a study by Smalley et al identifying barriers to care patients experience under the military's new reporting system, and characterizing any trends in the healthcare usage of military sexual assault victims is presented. At the military base approximately 225 military reports of sexual assault were filed for the survey time period between Oct 2013 and May 2016. At the end of the study period, 22 total surveys were collected (9.8% of all incidents). Ninety-five percent of respondents knew victim resources existed and at a minimum where to find the information to make a report and access those resources. The major barrier to care identified was perception of supervisors. instructors, and peers asking too many questions about medical appointments. In terms of healthcare utilization, 89% of respondents utilized sexual assault mental health services. Fifty percent reported using emergency department services and 44% used an outpatient sexual assault provider, but only 22% received a forensic exam. For those seeking sexual assault medical provider care, top services provided were medications for mood management (75%), STI screening (69%), medications for sleep or nightmares (69%), and mental health referrals (69%). The majority of respondents felt mental health counseling was very important or important in improving their health, with half of respondents continuing to receive mental health services as long as 6 months after initiating access to services.