Wright Elizabeth N, Miyamoto Sheridan, Richardson Cameron
College of Nursing, The Pennsylvania State University, 119-C Nursing Sciences Building, University Park, PA 16802 USA.
The Child Maltreatment Solutions Network, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA USA.
J Fam Violence. 2022;37(6):907-913. doi: 10.1007/s10896-021-00307-z. Epub 2021 Aug 21.
This brief report highlights the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions on the utilization of Victim Advocacy Agencies' (VAAs') services across Pennsylvania, using VAA utilization data from 2019-2020. VAA utilization data in this report were collected from 2019-2020 by the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR). VAA utilization data were anchored to COVID-19 restriction timelines, defined by the Pennsylvania Office of the Governor. For each month, a percent change in VAA utilization (e.g., Jan 2020 utilization compared to Jan 2019 utilization) was calculated. A one-way ANOVA was run to assess whether the association between restriction phase and percent change in overall VAA utilization from 2019 to 2020 was statistically significant. A substantial decrease in VAA utilization was observed once lockdown restrictions were enacted, as well as a sustained decrease in utilization between 2019 and 2020. When restrictions were eased, an increase in service utilization was noted. This pattern of findings held for the three variables assessed: hotline utilization, new client, and medical accompaniments for FREs per month. The one-way ANOVA confirmed a statistically significant decrease in overall VAA utilization when comparing the most severe COVID-19 related restrictions to both pre-COVID and less severe restrictions. A variety of barriers (e.g., financial instability, loss of childcare, technology access, chronic physical proximity to abuser, hospital visitation restrictions, fears of contracting the virus) may result in decreased utilization of VAA services. Future research should investigate the relevance of potential causal mechanisms behind VAA utilization to help inform intervention approaches.
本简要报告利用2019 - 2020年受害者维权机构（VAA）的服务利用数据，突出了新冠疫情限制措施对宾夕法尼亚州各地VAA服务利用情况的影响。本报告中的VAA服务利用数据由宾夕法尼亚州反对强奸联盟（PCAR）于2019 - 2020年收集。VAA服务利用数据与宾夕法尼亚州州长办公室定义的新冠疫情限制时间表相关联。每月计算VAA服务利用情况的百分比变化（例如，2020年1月的利用情况与2019年1月的利用情况相比）。进行单因素方差分析以评估限制阶段与2019年至2020年VAA总体服务利用百分比变化之间的关联是否具有统计学意义。一旦实施封锁限制，就观察到VAA服务利用情况大幅下降，并且在2019年至2020年期间利用情况持续下降。当限制措施放宽时，服务利用情况有所增加。这一发现模式适用于评估的三个变量：热线服务利用、新客户以及每月针对强奸相关急诊的医疗陪同。单因素方差分析证实，将与新冠疫情相关的最严格限制与疫情前及不太严格的限制进行比较时，VAA总体服务利用情况有统计学意义的下降。各种障碍（例如，经济不稳定、儿童保育缺失、技术获取困难、与施虐者长期身体接近、医院探视限制、对感染病毒的恐惧）可能导致VAA服务利用情况下降。未来的研究应调查VAA服务利用背后潜在因果机制的相关性，以帮助为干预方法提供信息。
