scholarly journals Health Care Providers’ Experience with a Protocol for the Identification, Treatment, and Referral of Human-Trafficking Victims

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 182-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanni Stoklosa ◽  
Elizabeth Showalter ◽  
Anna Melnick ◽  
Emily F. Rothman
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Human Trafficking ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Trafficking Victims

Providing medical care for suspected human trafficking victims: Perceptions among a cohort of health care providers in Myanmar

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sybil Zachariah ◽  
Ashish Sharma ◽  
Corey B Bills ◽  
Htoo Ma (Tony) Ohn ◽  
Rebecca Walker
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Human Trafficking ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Sex Trafficking ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Forced Labor ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Trafficking Victims

Abstract Background: Myanmar is a source country for men, women, and children who are subject to human trafficking and forced labor. Given that human trafficking and forced labor victims frequently experience physical and mental health concerns, healthcare practitioners have a unique opportunity to identify and assist victims. This study aims to understand the attitudes, perspectives, and levels of comfort for healthcare providers in caring for victims of human trafficking. It also seeks to understand the types of additional educational resources that could better equip medical personnel to improve care for survivors of human trafficking.Methods: A 20-question survey collected data anonymously from a convenience sample of healthcare providers that attended a one-day emergency care conference in Yangon, Myanmar.Results: While a significant number (70%) of medical professionals surveyed reported that they feel the problem of abuses for labor or sex in the community was "serious" or "very serious", a majority of them felt neutral or uncomfortable about identifying patients that are currently being abused in some way. Only 2% of respondents felt comfortable identifying victims of abuse. Over half of the healthcare workers surveyed indicated they would be interested in attending conferences, symposia, or lectures specific to human trafficking and receiving training in identifying victims and assisting victims of exploitation.Conclusions: Health care providers in Myanmar consider labor and sex trafficking as a significant problem in their community, but do not feel adequately trained to identify and help victims of exploitation. Given that even brief educational interventions can increase providers knowledge and self-reported recognition of human trafficking victims, there is a window of opportunity in Myanmar to provide training to currently practicing health providers.

scholarly journals Combatting human trafficking in the United States: how can medical informatics help?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim M Unertl ◽  
Colin G Walsh ◽  
Ellen Wright Clayton
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Information Technology ◽  
Human Trafficking ◽  
Health Information Technology ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Medical Informatics ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
The United States ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Trafficking Victims

Abstract Objective Human trafficking is a global problem taking many forms, including sex and labor exploitation. Trafficking victims can be any age, although most trafficking begins when victims are adolescents. Many trafficking victims have contact with health-care providers across various health-care contexts, both for emergency and routine care. Materials and Methods We propose 4 specific areas where medical informatics can assist with combatting trafficking: screening, clinical decision support, community-facing tools, and analytics that are both descriptive and predictive. Efforts to implement health information technology interventions focused on trafficking must be carefully integrated into existing clinical work and connected to community resources to move beyond identification to provide assistance and to support trauma-informed care. Results We lay forth a research and implementation agenda to integrate human trafficking identification and intervention into routine clinical practice, supported by health information technology. Conclusions A sociotechnical systems approach is recommended to ensure interventions address the complex issues involved in assisting victims of human trafficking.

Systematic Review of Human Trafficking Educational Interventions for Health Care Providers

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah E. Fraley ◽  
Teri Aronowitz ◽  
Hanni M. Stoklosa
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Human Trafficking ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Educational Interventions ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Global Population

Human trafficking is a global population health threat. Trafficking minors threatens the safety and well-being of youth. Limited studies measure health care providers’ awareness and attitudes toward trafficking. This systematic review synthesized retrospective and current knowledge and identified gaps in educational interventions aimed at increasing providers’ awareness and attitudes toward trafficking. A systematic search of four databases identified peer-reviewed published papers between January 1, 2000 and September 1, 2018. The Cochrane Collaboration’s Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews was followed. Study quality was assessed using the Downs and Black checklist. The Psychometric Grading Framework was used to assess the validity of instruments. Findings across studies ( N = 7) reveal providers (mostly social workers and physicians) have low awareness of trafficking and can have negative attitudes toward victims. Multiphase educational approaches and use of content experts, including survivors, in developing interventions enhanced sustainability of outcomes. Targeting multidisciplinary health care teams, including nurses, enhanced interventions.

Disclosing Gender-Based Violence During Health Care Visits: A Patient-Centered Approach

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (23-24) ◽  
pp. 5552-5573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica R. Williams ◽  
Rosa M. Gonzalez-Guarda ◽  
Valerie Halstead ◽  
Jacob Martinez ◽  
Laly Joseph
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Human Trafficking ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
Care System

The purpose of this study was to better understand victims’ perspectives regarding decisions to disclose gender-based violence, namely, intimate partner violence (IPV) and human trafficking, to health care providers and what outcomes matter to them when discussing these issues with their provider. Twenty-five participants from racially/ethnically diverse backgrounds were recruited from a family justice center located in the southeastern United States. Two fifths had experienced human trafficking, and the remaining had experienced IPV. Upon obtaining informed consent, semistructured, in-depth interviews were conducted. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative content analysis was used to examine interview data. Five primary themes emerged. Three themes focused on factors that may facilitate or impede disclosure: patient–provider connectedness, children, and social support. The fourth theme was related to ambiguity in the role of the health care system in addressing gender-based violence. The final theme focused on outcomes participants hope to achieve when discussing their experiences with health care providers. Similar themes emerged from both IPV and human trafficking victims; however, victims of human trafficking were more fearful of judgment and had a stronger desire to keep experiences private. Cultural factors also played an important role in decisions around disclosure and may interact with the general disparities racial/ethnic minority groups face within the health care system. Recognizing factors that influence patient engagement with the health care system as it relates to gender-based violence is critical. The health care system can respond to gender-based violence and its associated comorbidities in numerous ways and interventions must be driven by the patient’s goals and desired outcomes of disclosure. These interventions may be better served by taking patient-centered factors into account and viewing the effectiveness of intervention programs through a behavioral, patient-centered lens.

scholarly journals Educating paediatric health‐care providers about human trafficking

2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (9) ◽  
pp. 1335-1339
Author(s):  
Catherine G Coughlin ◽  
Jordan Greenbaum ◽  
Kanani Titchen
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Human Trafficking ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Paediatric Health

Human Trafficking: First Responders in Health Care

2021 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 349-367
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Peffer Talbot ◽  
Yumi E. Suzuki
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Human Trafficking ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
First Responders ◽  
School Nurses ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
First Responder ◽  
Care Workers

This article addresses the problems first responders encounter when attempting to identify and rescue survivors of human trafficking. Research indicates that 87.8% of women who escape captivity report they saw a health care provider at least once during captivity. This makes health care providers a critical first responder partner. First responders include law enforcement officers, health care providers, school nurses, and faith-based organizations. Health care workers are most likely to encounter survivors while in captivity. Multi-disciplinary collaborations between health care workers and law enforcement provide increased opportunities to share knowledge and recognize signs of human trafficking in patients. Theoretical paradigms have been used to analyze and anticipate changes in criminal activity and identify victims. Multi-disciplinary teams have developed a check-list of behaviors typical of captives and a questionnaire that illuminates captivity. The article further comments on the reported impact of COVID 19 on the health care’s system ability to recognize victims. It presents the many contributions of school nurses and the faith community to the first responder movement.        

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