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Abstract #156506

Marta S. Mendiondo, PhD¹, Pamela B. Teaster, PhD², Erin L. Abner, MA, MPH³, Mary R. Tooms, BA², Kara Cecil, BA², and Holly Ramsey-Klawsnik, PhD⁴. (1) Department of Biostatistics, University of Kentucky, 121 Washington Ave, Lexington, KY 40536-0003, (859) 257-1412 ext 274, marta@email.uky.edu, (2) Graduate Center for Gerontology, University of Kentucky, 900 S. Limestone St, Lexington, KY 40536, (3) College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, 121 Washington Ave, Lexington, KY 40536, (4) Klawsnik & Klawsnik Associates, 24 High St, Canton, MA 02021

The sexual abuse of vulnerable adults is perhaps the most hidden of all abuses and represents a significant and lasting injury to those who experience it. Reports of this form of abuse vary from one to eight percent when considered in the context of all abuses. In this study of five states and seven agencies, 432 reports of the sexual abuse of younger and older vulnerable adults were investigated. The data suggest that interventions and outcomes of case investigations vary both by state and by investigatory agency. This poster presents data providing an explanation of these differences in the outcomes of younger and older persons reported as being sexually abused. Differences that contribute to the differing outcomes include age and gender of client, location of abuse, type of abuse, duration of the abuse, times spent during the investigatory process, substantiation of abuse, services offered, services refused, and outcomes for the perpetrator. These differences suggest that public health professionals have a significant role to play in the prevention of and intervention into the sexual abuse of these vulnerable individuals.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify characteristics of vulnerable adults sexual abuse victims.
• Analyze real and apparent differences among case outcomes by investigating agency.
• Develop data collection and analysis methods for this underserved and often hidden population.

Keywords: Sexual Assault, Data/Surveillance

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.