Trauma Informed Care in Medical Settings: A Pilot Study of Female Patient Perspectives on Coping, Screening and Fostering Resilience

Traumatic events such as sexual assault, interpersonal violence and community violence are common in the United States population and are often associated with negative health effects. Many healthcare settings have attempted to implement trauma informed care initiatives to better meet the needs of female trauma survivors. We conducted a pilot study involving in-depth qualitative interviews with eighteen women to gain an understanding of how patients in a large, urban environment believe trauma informed care should be provided in healthcare settings. We were particularly focused on how women connected their trauma history to subsequent health issues and how they felt the healthcare system could be responsive to the needs of survivors. These insights can ultimately be used to provide recommendations for improving trauma-informed initiatives in the healthcare system.