title: Enhancing the health care experiences of adult female survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
abstract: This article addresses the medical issues presented by women who were sexually abused in childhood and provides a detailed and direct link between the existing literature and its implications for the medical system. A profile of the sexual abuse survivor is given, including child sexual abuse (CSA) characteristics and sequelae that influence the adult female survivor's health. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder is outlined as part of a complex interplay of physiological and psychological symptomatology that can compromise the CSA survivor's ability to access health care treatment and forge a positive provider/patient relationship. This article emphasizes that effective treatment with sexual abuse survivors must include interdisciplinary collaboration among health care professionals. Management of the CSA patient, a case vignette illustrating salient themes, and finally, guidelines for the health care practitioner are presented.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Welfare, State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8231, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Monahan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Forgash
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017741:Survivors; D014481:United States; D016387:Women's Health