Assessment of the mental health status of a one year cohort attending a two Sexual Assault Referral Centres in England. 2018

Charlie Brooker, and Karen Tocque, and Sheila Paul
Royal Holloway, University of London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: charlie.brooker@rhul.ac.uk.

A one year audit was undertaken of the mental health (MH) status of adult attendees to the Thames Valley Sexual Assault Centres (SARC). There were 301 relevant referrals over the twelve month period of whom 126 (42%) either fully or partially completed the mental health assessments. 38% (n = 66) of the population did not consent to the research. Participation in the study was felt inappropriate by the case clinician in the rest of the cases. To summarise the findings: 36% were moderately or severely depressed; 30% experienced moderate to severe anxiety; 28% were drinking at hazardous/harmful levels; and 12% had a drug problem that was moderate to severe. Self harm affected 45% of the sample with the greater majority cutting themselves and self-harming before the age of 17. Admission to a psychiatric in-patient unit was not uncommon and 19% had been admitted an average of three times each. The figure of 19% admitted to a psychiatric hospital is 90 times higher than for the general female population. 42% of the total sample were being prescribed medication for their mental health problem. The paper concludes that: there should be agreement nationally on the use of a standardised set of mental health outcome measures which are used in all assessments; there should be a move towards the commissioning of expert psychological support that is offered in a SARC and the pathways for specialist mental health care out of the SARCs. Finally, forensic physicians and general practitioners needs a greater awareness of the mental health sequalae of sexual assault and they then need to make prompt referrals to the appropriate services.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008603 Mental Health Emotional, psychological, and social well-being of an individual or group. Mental Hygiene,Health, Mental,Hygiene, Mental
D010343 Patient Admission The process of accepting patients. The concept includes patients accepted for medical and nursing care in a hospital or other health care institution. Voluntary Admission,Admission, Patient,Admission, Voluntary,Admissions, Patient,Admissions, Voluntary,Patient Admissions,Voluntary Admissions
D012017 Referral and Consultation The practice of sending a patient to another program or practitioner for services or advice which the referring source is not prepared to provide. Consultation,Gatekeepers, Health Service,Hospital Referral,Second Opinion,Consultation and Referral,Health Service Gatekeepers,Hospital Referrals,Referral,Referral, Hospital,Referrals, Hospital,Consultations,Gatekeeper, Health Service,Health Service Gatekeeper,Opinion, Second,Opinions, Second,Referrals,Second Opinions
D003863 Depression Depressive states usually of moderate intensity in contrast with MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER present in neurotic and psychotic disorders. Depressive Symptoms,Emotional Depression,Depression, Emotional,Depressive Symptom,Symptom, Depressive
D004739 England A part of Great Britain within the United Kingdom.
D005260 Female Females
D005500 Follow-Up Studies Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease. Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup
D006778 Hospitals, Psychiatric Special hospitals which provide care to the mentally ill patient. Mental Hospitals,Hospitals, Mental,Mental Institutions,Psychiatric Hospitals,Hospital, Mental,Hospital, Psychiatric,Institution, Mental,Institutions, Mental,Mental Hospital,Mental Institution,Psychiatric Hospital
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

Related Publications

Charlie Brooker, and Karen Tocque, and Sheila Paul
April 2015, Journal of forensic and legal medicine,
Charlie Brooker, and Karen Tocque, and Sheila Paul
August 2018, Journal of forensic and legal medicine,
Charlie Brooker, and Karen Tocque, and Sheila Paul
August 2008, International journal of STD & AIDS,
Charlie Brooker, and Karen Tocque, and Sheila Paul
July 2010, The journal of family planning and reproductive health care,
Charlie Brooker, and Karen Tocque, and Sheila Paul
December 2004, Sexually transmitted infections,
Charlie Brooker, and Karen Tocque, and Sheila Paul
October 2022, Journal of forensic and legal medicine,
Charlie Brooker, and Karen Tocque, and Sheila Paul
November 2023, Health and social care delivery research,
Charlie Brooker, and Karen Tocque, and Sheila Paul
January 2020, PloS one,
Charlie Brooker, and Karen Tocque, and Sheila Paul
August 2008, Journal of forensic and legal medicine,
Copied contents to your clipboard!