Human Trafficking Victim Identification, Assessment, and Intervention Strategies in South Texas Emergency Departments

Sex trafficking screening and intervention in the emergency department: A scoping review

“…The 23 included articles were summarized according to study characteristics including study type, aim, geographical information, and type of ED (Table 1 ). 3 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 …”

“…A survey of nurse leaders at 27 hospitals in South Texas by Dols et al revealed that fewer than half (40.7%) of the EDs screened adults for HT, and of those that did screen, most did so by asking about patients’ feelings of personal safety during triage. 14 None of the participants reported using a standardized tool or screening method to identify victims. Despite relatively high known rates of HT in the region, none of the ED staff surveyed identified an adult HT victim in 2017.…”

“…In our examination of providers’ beliefs about ST and institutional protocols, we found evidence that emergency clinicians, nurses, and NHS professionals felt unprepared to identify and/or support victims of ST, despite being aware that it might be an issue in their communities. 10 , 14 , 27 …”

“…In our examination of providers' beliefs about ST and institutional protocols, we found evidence that emergency clinicians, nurses, and NHS professionals felt unprepared to identify and/or support victims of ST, despite being aware that it might be an issue in their communities. 10,14,27 In this context, we also examined the utility of tested educational interventions for health care professionals in the ED and the unique roles of different practitioners in identifying and supporting ST victims.…”

Sex trafficking screening and intervention in the emergency department: A scoping review

“…The 23 included articles were summarized according to study characteristics including study type, aim, geographical information, and type of ED (Table 1 ). 3 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 …”

“…A survey of nurse leaders at 27 hospitals in South Texas by Dols et al revealed that fewer than half (40.7%) of the EDs screened adults for HT, and of those that did screen, most did so by asking about patients’ feelings of personal safety during triage. 14 None of the participants reported using a standardized tool or screening method to identify victims. Despite relatively high known rates of HT in the region, none of the ED staff surveyed identified an adult HT victim in 2017.…”

“…In our examination of providers’ beliefs about ST and institutional protocols, we found evidence that emergency clinicians, nurses, and NHS professionals felt unprepared to identify and/or support victims of ST, despite being aware that it might be an issue in their communities. 10 , 14 , 27 …”

“…In our examination of providers' beliefs about ST and institutional protocols, we found evidence that emergency clinicians, nurses, and NHS professionals felt unprepared to identify and/or support victims of ST, despite being aware that it might be an issue in their communities. 10,14,27 In this context, we also examined the utility of tested educational interventions for health care professionals in the ED and the unique roles of different practitioners in identifying and supporting ST victims.…”

Trauma-Informed Interventions: Conceptual Challenges and Meaningful Field Practices

“…For example, in the emergency department of a South Texas hospital, when screening for abuse related to human trafficking, staff not only used formal assessment tools but also observed children's physical appearance, behavior, body language, and considered suspicious events or history to determine if police intervention was necessary. 22…”

Sex trafficking screening and intervention in the emergency department: A scoping review

“…The 23 included articles were summarized according to study characteristics including study type, aim, geographical information, and type of ED (Table 1 ). 3 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 …”

“…A survey of nurse leaders at 27 hospitals in South Texas by Dols et al revealed that fewer than half (40.7%) of the EDs screened adults for HT, and of those that did screen, most did so by asking about patients’ feelings of personal safety during triage. 14 None of the participants reported using a standardized tool or screening method to identify victims. Despite relatively high known rates of HT in the region, none of the ED staff surveyed identified an adult HT victim in 2017.…”

“…In our examination of providers’ beliefs about ST and institutional protocols, we found evidence that emergency clinicians, nurses, and NHS professionals felt unprepared to identify and/or support victims of ST, despite being aware that it might be an issue in their communities. 10 , 14 , 27 …”

“…In our examination of providers' beliefs about ST and institutional protocols, we found evidence that emergency clinicians, nurses, and NHS professionals felt unprepared to identify and/or support victims of ST, despite being aware that it might be an issue in their communities. 10,14,27 In this context, we also examined the utility of tested educational interventions for health care professionals in the ED and the unique roles of different practitioners in identifying and supporting ST victims.…”

Trauma-Informed Interventions: Conceptual Challenges and Meaningful Field Practices

“…For example, in the emergency department of a South Texas hospital, when screening for abuse related to human trafficking, staff not only used formal assessment tools but also observed children's physical appearance, behavior, body language, and considered suspicious events or history to determine if police intervention was necessary. 22…”

Sex trafficking screening and intervention in the emergency department: A scoping review

“…The 23 included articles were summarized according to study characteristics including study type, aim, geographical information, and type of ED (Table 1 ). 3 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 …”

“…A survey of nurse leaders at 27 hospitals in South Texas by Dols et al revealed that fewer than half (40.7%) of the EDs screened adults for HT, and of those that did screen, most did so by asking about patients’ feelings of personal safety during triage. 14 None of the participants reported using a standardized tool or screening method to identify victims. Despite relatively high known rates of HT in the region, none of the ED staff surveyed identified an adult HT victim in 2017.…”

“…In our examination of providers’ beliefs about ST and institutional protocols, we found evidence that emergency clinicians, nurses, and NHS professionals felt unprepared to identify and/or support victims of ST, despite being aware that it might be an issue in their communities. 10 , 14 , 27 …”

“…In our examination of providers' beliefs about ST and institutional protocols, we found evidence that emergency clinicians, nurses, and NHS professionals felt unprepared to identify and/or support victims of ST, despite being aware that it might be an issue in their communities. 10,14,27 In this context, we also examined the utility of tested educational interventions for health care professionals in the ED and the unique roles of different practitioners in identifying and supporting ST victims.…”

Trauma-Informed Interventions: Conceptual Challenges and Meaningful Field Practices

“…For example, in the emergency department of a South Texas hospital, when screening for abuse related to human trafficking, staff not only used formal assessment tools but also observed children's physical appearance, behavior, body language, and considered suspicious events or history to determine if police intervention was necessary. 22…”