WITH: Women’s Input to a Trauma-informed systems model of care in Health settings
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Professor Kelsey Hegarty
Project Details
Rationale for research
Sexual violence and mental health is a public health priority due to their significant bidirectional effect and association with morbidity and mortality; including injuries, chronic physical illness, poor sexual health, adverse perinatal outcomes, substance misuse, mental illness and suicidal behavior (khalifeh et al, 2015) and less likely to seek informal help (Khalifeh et al 2015).
Mental health and Human Service agencies in Australia have attempted to roll out trauma informed care (Quadara, 2015), based on a recovery-oriented view of the individual, family and community, and is contextualised by culture, privilege or oppression, history and the social determinants of health. Recovery also occurs within the context of gender, age and developmental stages (AHMAC, 2013, p. 2). Recovery focused mental health care recognises that trauma arising from experiences of violence and abuse is prevalent among mental health service users and is therefore something to which mental health services need to be responsive (Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council, 2013; AHMAC, 2010).
There is limited research that examines the effectiveness of organisation and systems models of trauma informed care (Quadara, 2015), with a tendency to focus on the individual level or proxy indicators such as reduction in seclusion and restraint practices/incidents to suggest changes in organisational practice (e.g. Rivard, 2004; Wright, Woo, Muller, Fernandes, & Kraftcheck, 2003). Only four qualitative studies identified the key outcomes at the organisational and systems level of trauma informed care (Quadara, 2015).
Objectives
- How can we ensure that trauma-informed care is meeting the needs of women who have experienced both mental health issues and sexual violence?;
- How can we enact trauma-informed care in practice when dealing with women who have experienced both mental health issues and sexual violence?
Study Design
A mixed-method, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches is proposed, given the need to both investigate the experience of staff and consumers.
Setting
Mental Health setting in Northern Area Suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria.
Participants
Staff from a variety of professions and female consumers.
When will final results be reported?
Final results/ report, January 2019
Researchers
Prof Kelsey Hegarty, Head of Abuse and Violence Program
A/Prof Laura Tarzia, Research Fellow and Deputy Head, Abuse and Violence Program
Research Group
Sexual Abuse and Family Violence: SAFE
Faculty Research Themes
School Research Themes
Neuroscience & Psychiatry, Women's Health, Infectious Diseases and Immunity
Key Contact
For further information about this research, please contact the research group leader.
Department / Centre
General Practice and Primary Care
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