Research Article, J Womens Health Issues Care Vol: 4 Issue: 3
Trauma Informed Care in Medical Settings: A Pilot Study of Female Patient Perspectives on Coping, Screening and Fostering Resilience
Sheela Raja1*, Chelsea Rajagopalan2, Memoona Hasnain3, Tracy Vadakumchery4, Alexandra Kupershmidt4, Judy Hamad4 and Michelle Hoersch5 | |
1Department of Pediatric Dentistry, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA | |
2College of Dental Medicine, Rutgers University, USA | |
3Department of Family Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA | |
4College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago | |
5Office on Women’s Health, Region V, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, USA | |
Corresponding author : Sheela Raja, PhD UIC College of Dentistry, 801 S. Paulina St, M/C 850, Chicago, IL 60612, USA Tel: 312 413 0559; E-mail: sraja1@uic.edu |
|
Received: September 18, 2014 Accepted: April 10, 2015 Published: April 14, 2015 | |
Citation: Raja S, Rajagopalan C, Hasnain M, Vadakumchery T, Kupershmidt A, et al. (2015) Trauma Informed Care in Medical Settings: A Pilot Study of Female Patient Perspectives on Coping, Screening and Fostering Resilience. J Womens Health, Issues Care 4:3. doi:10.4172/2325-9795.1000185 |
Abstract
Trauma Informed Care in Medical Settings: A Pilot Study of Female Patient Perspectives on Coping, Screening and Fostering Resilience
Traumatic events such as sexual assault, interpersonal violence and community violence are common in the United States population and are often associated with negative health effects. Many healthcare settings have attempted to implement trauma informed care initiatives to better meet the needs of female trauma survivors. We conducted a pilot study involving in-depth qualitative interviews with eighteen women to gain an understanding of how patients in a large, urban environment believe trauma informed care should be provided in healthcare settings. We were particularly focused on how women connected their trauma history to subsequent health issues and how they felt the healthcare system could be responsive to the needs of survivors. These insights can ultimately be used to provide recommendations for improving trauma-informed initiatives in the healthcare system.