Sexual Assault and Forensic Exam Offers in the Emergency Department: A Retrospective Study.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Patients who report sexual assault in the emergency department (ED) have a legal right to a forensic exam. Emergency departments that do not provide such exams must offer transfer to a forensic site. Little is known about the factors influencing whether patients are offered a forensic exam and complete the transfer. In this study we aimed to identify patient characteristics associated with being offered a forensic exam in an ED that does not perform them on site.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective chart review of adult patients presenting to a single, urban, academic ED between January 2017-December 2019. The ED receives over 75,000 visits annually and refers patients to an external site for forensic exams. Using keywords "sexual assault" or "rape" we identifi

SUBMITTER: Walton K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12815511 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature