Citation

Petrak JA, Campbell EA. Int. J. STD AIDS 1999; 10(8): 531-535.

Affiliation

Ambrose King Centre, Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, UK. ambrose.king@dial.pipex.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10471103

Abstract

This study describes psychological symptomatology including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 19 women attending a specialist sexual assault service within a genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic. Women were interviewed within one year post-rape (mean = 12 weeks) using standardized questionnaires for PTSD and other psychological symptomatology. Seventeen (89.5%) of 19 women met full criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD. Anxiety predominated amongst other psychological symptomatology. Suicidal ideation was reported by 8 women and one made a suicide attempt following the rape. Although it is acknowledged this is a small, select sample, the high level of psychological trauma found suggests that genitourinary medicine clinics providing for sexual assault require access to mental health professionals.

Language: en