Study: ER testing, treatment lacking for many sexually assaulted teens
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Version 0 of 1. CHICAGO — Many sexually assaulted teenagers seeking emergency-room care don’t receive recommended tests and prevention treatments for pregnancy and venereal disease, according to a new study. Testing and treatment rates varied widely among 38 children’s hospitals studied, from zero teens treated to almost 90 percent tested. Subpar treatment puts teens at risk for infections including HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhea, along with unwanted pregnancies. The results highlight a need for better awareness of testing and treatment guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the study’s authors said. Their report, based on 2004-2013 data on almost 13,000 teens treated, will be published Monday in Pediatrics. Here are some details: Teen sexual assault is more common than some might think. Up to 25 percent of U.S. girls and 10 percent of boys are sexually abused or assaulted by age 18, the researchers said. Almost 11 percent of high school girls and 4 percent of boys reported in a 2013 government survey that they had been raped. Studies suggest that the rates have been mostly stable in recent years. The CDC and pediatricians recommend testing sexually assaulted teens for several venereal diseases and giving preventive antibiotics for chlamydia and gonorrhea. Other advice includes testing for hepatitis B in unvaccinated patients and for HIV and syphilis in areas where those diseases are prevalent, and providing pregnancy tests and emergency contraception. The researchers recommend standardizing medical care for sexually assaulted teens, along with awareness of guidelines. In addition, doctors need to identify and address barriers to providing the patients appropriate medical care, a Pediatrics editorial said. — Associated Press |