Study objective: We provide new descriptive epidemiology on the demography and quality of care of women who experience sexual assault. Two limited aspects of emergency department treatment received by women who have e...
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Study objective: We provide new descriptive epidemiology on the demography and quality of care of women who experience sexual assault. Two limited aspects of emergency department treatment received by women who have experienced sexual assault are examined: (1) administration of emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy and (2) screening and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Methods: A nationally representative survey on the basis of 7 years of data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) was analyzed. Estimates of mean numbers of patients treated and characteristics of patients are reported for administration of emergency contraception and compliance with STD guidelines. Results: Analysis shows that the number of rapes per year reported in the NHAMCS data is highly consistent with the number of forcible rapes reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Results show statistically significant differences in patients who receive screening on the basis of age and also suggest that the same difference exists for STD medications received. Accounting for differences in screening and medications by age does not completely explain why a large portion of the patients are neither screened nor receive STD medications. Conclusion: Women are not receiving the full complement of treatment, as suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Administration of emergency contraception is less frequent in the NHAMCS sample than in hospitals with a sexual assault treatment program that report administration of emergency contraception. It is important to assess care for patients experiencing sexual assault in a nationally representative sample to identify deficiencies in treatment and areas in need of improvement.
Deals with the article `AIDS researchers decry Mbeki's views on HIV,' by Jon Cohen. Views of South Africa President Thabo Mbeki on the spread of AIDS in the sub-Saharan Africa; Role of T helper cell type 2 on ...
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Deals with the article `AIDS researchers decry Mbeki's views on HIV,' by Jon Cohen. Views of South Africa President Thabo Mbeki on the spread of AIDS in the sub-Saharan Africa; Role of T helper cell type 2 on the causative microorganisms of AIDS and tuberculosis; Research recommendations for the control of AIDS.
Since syndromic management of STDs requires treatment with at least two antibiotics per patient, one of the concerns raised by adoption of the syndromic approach is the cost of drugs, especially for developing countri...
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Since syndromic management of STDs requires treatment with at least two antibiotics per patient, one of the concerns raised by adoption of the syndromic approach is the cost of drugs, especially for developing countries with limited drug budgets. The objective of the current study is to compare the cost-effectiveness of syndromic management to current national practice for the management of STDs in Malawi. The actual cost of observed antibiotic treatment for 144 patients receiving same day treatment for two STD syndromes in Malawi was determined using prices from the Malawi government supply catalogue. This was then compared to the calculated cost of treatment had the same patients been managed syndromically according to national guidelines. The cost of drug treatment under current practice was similar to the cost of syndromic treatment. However, at least one-third of observed patients did not receive effective treatment for either likely cause of their STD syndrome and wastage accounted for 54% of total observed drug cost. Overall, syndromic management of STDs in Malawi would result in more effective treatment of STDs at no additional cost. Since the indirect costs of low treatment efficacy were not taken into account in this analysis, a net saving is likely to be realized with the adoption of syndromic management.
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