Audit on the management of complainants of sexual assault at an emergency department

Objective: Proper medical management should be offered to rape complainants, including systematic investigation for sexual transmitted diseases, prophylactic antibiotics, a pregnancy test, emergency contraception, and psychological and medical follow up. We conducted an audit on the medical management of complainants of sexual assault in a public university hospital with a high referral of rape complainants.

Study design: Retrospective study of rape complainants, based on medical records (n=356) including women admitted at the emergency department between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2007.

Results: Most complainants were Caucasian (median age: 25 years, range: 15-79 years). About 82% of the assaults were committed by one assailant only, and almost two-thirds of the rapes were characterized by vaginal penetration. In 8% of the patients, no blood sample to screen for sexually transmitted disease had been taken and in 38% of the patients, no cervical smear for C. trachomatis had been done. Prophylactic antibiotics were provided to 40% of the patients. Eighty percent of the complainants who were not using contraception received an emergency contraceptive treatment. Respectively, 10%, 16% and 11% of the complainants were seen at a gynecological, infectious diseases or psychological support follow-up visit.

Conclusion: Only about 20% of the complainants received optimal care. Different steps were taken to improve the medical management, including a specific computerized checklist and involvement of a social nurse for the follow up. These steps aim at reducing psycho-affective and medical morbidity of rape complainants.