Child advocacy outreach: using telehealth to expand child sexual abuse services in rural Kentucky.
We evaluated the use of videoconferencing as an educational and consultative tool for physicians and mental health staff providing services for child victims of sexual abuse in rural Kentucky. The number of counties with access to sexual abuse examinations by a qualified physician increased from 16 to 23 in the first year and to 54 in the second. The number of cases increased from 77 to 83 in the first year and to 339 in the second year. The number of consultations increased from zero to eight in the first year and to 74 in the second year. A user survey showed that the equipment supported clinical decision making, was useful and was easy to use. However, it was not as effective for case conferencing as for one-to-one interactions. Rural health professionals knowledge of child sexual abuse increased.
Burton
Deborah C
DC
University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center, Kentucky TeleCare, Lexington 40536, USA. daburt00@uky.edu
Stanley
Deborah
D
Ireson
Carol L
CL
D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000628:therapy; D002651:Child Advocacy; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007629:Kentucky / Q000453:epidemiology; D019114:Remote Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data