Written by Jessica Kim Cohen
One-third of women and one-sixth of men in the U.S. experience at least one incident of sexual violence during their lifetime, according to an April 2017 report out of the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. These victims often need specialized medical attention, especially if they plan to move forward with a criminal investigation.
However, accessing this care often proves challenging — particularly for those in underserved, rural areas. A research team at Pennsylvania State University hopes to improve this disparity through a telehealth project called the Sexual Assault Forensic Examination and Training — or SAFE-T — Center.
Penn State launched the project — which accepts adult and adolescent patients — in December 2016 under a $1.1 million, 15-month planning grant from the Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime. The SAFE-T Center will use video technology to connect trained Penn State nurses with less experienced nurses at critical access hospitals for live forensic exam guidance and peer review.
Read the full article in Becker's Hospital Review.