Search

Rape is a global public health problem, and steps have been taken to encourage studies on the issue and propose interventions for its prevention and appropriate care. This study aimed to characterize the population of female rape victims and describe the characteristics of the sexual assault and the care provided at a university referral center. This was a quantitative retrospective study of care provided to female rape victims from June 2006 to December 2010. The majority of the women (n = 687) were white, single, had no children, with a mean age of 23.7 years and primary to secondary schooling, employed, and practiced a religion. One-fourth of the victims reported no sexual intercourse prior to the sexual assault. Rape occurred mainly at night, on the street, perpetrated by a single stranger, with vaginal penetration, and with threatened or actual force. Most of the victims had reported the rape to someone and felt supported. Early care occurred for almost 90% of women, allowing preventive measures. From 2006 to 2010 there was an increase in the proportion of women that sought help. Better knowledge of the characteristics of this group and the event itself can help improve the structure and functioning of models to assist rape victims.

Objective: To describe the sociodemographic and clinical profile of patients who underwent electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) at a university general hospital., Method: In this retrospective study, records from all patients undergoing ECT between January 1988 and January 2008 at the psychiatric unit of the general hospital of Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) were reviewed. Telephone contact was made with patients/relatives to collect follow-up data., Results: A total of 200 charts were reviewed. The majority of patients were women, with a mean age of 39 years, and history of psychiatric hospitalization. The main indications for ECT were depression and catatonia. Complications were observed in less than half of the cases, and most were temporary and not severe. There was a good psychiatric outcome for 89.7% of the patients, especially for catatonic patients (100%, p = 0.02). Thirty-four percent of the cases were later contacted by telephone calls, at a mean of 8.5 years between the procedure and the contact. Among these, three (1.5%) reported persistent memory disorders and 73% considered ECT a good treatment., Conclusion: ECT has been performed according to international guidelines. In the vast majority of cases, undesirable effects were temporary and not severe. Response to ECT was positive in most cases, particularly in catatonic patients.