Elements of a care pathway for human trafficking victims in emergency departments: A mapping review.
Leanne van Rooy, Yvonne Botma, Celia J Filmalter and 1 others
PMID 39648989WHAT IT FOUND
No standardized emergency department care pathways are available for trafficking victims.
The mapped elements prioritise trauma-informed, person-centred care, private screening, safety planning, interprofessional support and hotlines.
Key findings
01Five themes emerged from the included reports.
02Trauma-informed care was the most frequently discussed approach.
03Identification relied on history and physical cues and questions about force, coercion, control, threats and abuse of power.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The review included only adult sex trafficking victims, not children, adolescents or labor trafficking victims. All included reports were from North America, so the elements may not fit other countries or health systems. The search may have missed sources because not all databases were accessed. The review included gray literature and dissertations as well as peer-reviewed primary studies. The review maps suggested elements and identifies gaps; it does not test whether a care pathway improves identification or outcomes.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat these elements as evidence that a care pathway improves identification or outcomes. The review maps suggested cues and process steps from North American reports, and no standardized emergency department care pathway was available.