Ullman Sarah E, Lorenz Katherine
Department of Criminology, Law and Justice, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Department of Criminology and Justice Studies, California State University, Northridge, USA.
Women Health. 2020 May-Jun;60(5):502-516. doi: 10.1080/03630242.2019.1671947. Epub 2019 Oct 6.
African American women are at higher risk for sexual assault than other racial/ethnic groups and have an overall high prevalence of lifetime sexual assault. Despite elevated risk and prevalence, African American survivors are often reluctant to use services in the aftermath of sexual assault. Yet, little research has focused exclusively on African American women's sexual assault experiences including their experiences of medical care seeking. A mail survey study was conducted in Chicago (2010-2011) to understand better African American women's sexual assault experiences in relationship to post-assault medical care seeking in a large community sample (N = 836). Multivariable regression analyses examined whether demographics, assault characteristics, trauma history, and post-assault psychosocial factors were related to medical care seeking. Results revealed unique correlates of immediate and long-term help-seeking from a variety of medical/health sources. Being of older age and lower income, perceived life threat, and delayed disclosure were related to less medical care seeking. Survivors who were assaulted by strangers, experienced interpersonal and contextual traumas, and who received tangible aid and mixed social reactions were related to medical care seeking. Implications for research and clinical practice with this population are provided.
非裔美国女性遭受性侵犯的风险高于其他种族/族裔群体，且一生中遭受性侵犯的总体发生率较高。尽管风险和发生率都很高，但非裔美国幸存者在遭受性侵犯后往往不愿使用相关服务。然而，很少有研究专门关注非裔美国女性的性侵犯经历，包括她们寻求医疗护理的经历。2010年至2011年在芝加哥进行了一项邮件调查研究，以在一个大型社区样本（N = 836）中更好地了解非裔美国女性与遭受性侵犯后寻求医疗护理相关的性侵犯经历。多变量回归分析研究了人口统计学、侵犯特征、创伤史以及遭受性侵犯后的心理社会因素是否与寻求医疗护理有关。结果揭示了从各种医疗/健康来源寻求即时和长期帮助的独特相关因素。年龄较大、收入较低、感知到生命威胁以及延迟披露与较少寻求医疗护理有关。被陌生人侵犯、经历人际和情境创伤以及获得实际援助和复杂社会反应的幸存者与寻求医疗护理有关。本文还提供了针对该人群研究和临床实践的启示。
