Resources for Texas Sexual Assault Survivors: Inventory and Survey Findings on Services, Gaps, and Accessibility

Texas is a leader among states on the issue of sexual assault, and has promoted and funded the study of sexual violence as well as created the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Task Force (SASTF) through the Office of the Texas Governor (OOG). Sexual assault is clearly established as a public health problem affecting 6.3 million women and men in the state, or 33.2% of adult Texans over their lifetime.1 This statistic comes from thorough research by the Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA) at The University of Texas at Austin on the prevalence and impact of sexual assault on Texans, service providers, and the social and economic system at large. The bipartisan passage of HB 1590 (86R) B signifies a continued commitment by Texas lawmakers to serve sexual assault survivors. Lawmakers and Texans alike acknowledge the seriousness of sexual assault crimes. With the research findings derived from this project, survivors and their families, professionals supporting survivors, and lawmakers can better see the landscape of resources, service provision gaps, and unmet needs across our state. The specific project aims were to: • Inventory the sexual assault services available in Texas. • Assess sexual assault survivors’ needs by region for the 11 Texas regions. • Develop a sexual assault services resource inventory. IDVSA accomplished those aims by: • Developing and implementing a statewide survey to a broad and diverse set of providers who serve survivors of sexual violence. • Conducting a collaborative analysis of the survey findings with a specific focus on service availability and service gaps, and presenting those in this report to the OOG. • Developing an HB 1590 Inventory List of the resources available to survivors across the state and delivering it to the OOG to inform the creation of a comprehensive statewide service directory in the futureInstitute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (IDVSA

Economic evaluation of the very early rehabilitation in speech (verse) intervention

Introduction: There is limited evidence on the costs and outcomes of patients with aphasia after stroke. The aim of this study was to estimate costs in patients with aphasia after stroke according to the aphasia therapies provided. Methods: A three-arm, prospective, randomized, parallel group, open-label, blinded endpoint assessment trial conducted in Australia and New Zealand. Usual ward-based care (Usual Care) was compared to additional usual ward-based therapy (Usual Care Plus) and a prescribed and structured aphasia therapy program in addition to Usual Care (the VERSE intervention). Information about healthcare utilization and productivity were collected to estimate costs in Australian dollars for 2017–18. Multivariable regression models with bootstrapping were used to estimate differences in costs and outcomes (clinically meaningful change in aphasia severity measured by the WAB-R-AQ). Results: Overall, 202/246 (82%) participants completed follow-up at 26 weeks. Median costs per person were $23,322 (Q1 5,367, Q3 52,669, n = 63) for Usual Care,$26,923 (Q1 7,303, Q3 76,174, n = 70) for Usual Care Plus and $31,143 (Q1 7,001. Q3 62,390, n = 69) for VERSE. No differences in costs and outcomes were detected between groups. Usual Care Plus was inferior (i.e. more costly and less effective) in 64% of iterations, and in 18% was less costly and less effective compared to Usual Care. VERSE was inferior in 65% of samples and less costly and less effective in 12% compared to Usual Care. Conclusion: There was limited evidence that additional intensively delivered aphasia therapy within the context of usual acute care provided was worthwhile in terms of costs for the outcomes gained

Violent crime and perceived deterrence: an empirical approach using the Offending, Crime & Justice Survey

This paper provides an econometric assessment of the deterrence model, with a specific focus on violent crime in England and Wales. It finds that beliefs about the probability of arrest are substantially lower than official arrests rates, but when adjusting for non-reporting by victims, the perceived risk of arrest and actual arrest rate are very similar. Further, no empirical evidence is found to the effect that perception of the probability of arrest differ between criminals and non-criminals. Perceptions about general perceived risk of arrest are not found to be related to an individual's own criminal and arrest history. Instead, an individual's beliefs about the perceived probability of arrest are largely affected by neighbourhood conditions and victimisation. The link between perceptions and criminal behaviour is also examined, but the empirical evidence is not in line with the basic predictions of the economic theory of crime

Impact of Covid-19 Policies on Women Self-employment Rates: An Integrated Conceptual Framework

An integrated framework for studying the effects of COVID-19 policies on women self-employment rates is not available despite the increased economic activity of women in self-employment across several countries. The main objective of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework for the effects of COVID-19 policies on women self-employment rates, and the moderators of the relationship. Based on a critical review of the literature, we develop a conceptual framework, which consists of two types of COVID-19 policies, namely hostile lockdown policies (i.e., those that restrict community movement) and less/non-hostile policies (i.e., those that do not restrict movement). We then theorize the direct effects of these policies on women self-employment rates, and the factors that moderate the relationship. First, compared to men, hostile COVID-19 lockdown policies are more likely to have negative effects on women self-employment rates. Secondly, hostile COVID-19 lockdown policies are more likely to have a negative impact on women in self-employment, relative to women in wage employment. Third, the effects of COVID-19 policies on women self-employment rates are moderated by social factors (i.e., marriage and caring responsibilities) and economic development factors (i.e., level of human development, income support measures, size of the informal economy, and informal cross-border trading). The paper offers several guidelines for the formulation of public policies related to epidemics/pandemics and their effects on women self-employment rates

A case of ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma with yolk sac differentiation and Lynch syndrome

Ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma with yolk sac component has been reported in fewer than twenty cases in the literature. A majority of the diagnoses are described in postmenopausal women without specific reference to germline genetic testing. We describe, to our knowledge, the first case in the English literature of a premenopausal woman that presented with an ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma with focal yolk sac component and was subsequently found to have a germline MSH2 mutation confirming a diagnosis of Lynch syndrome. Concurrent diagnosis of ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma with yolk sac tumor and Lynch syndrome is an extremely rare finding in a young patient and requires careful follow-up. Genetics evaluation and testing may be reasonable for individuals with this rare or mixed tumor pathology at young age of onset and can have clinical utility in guiding future cancer treatment or surveillance. Keywords: Ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma, Yolk sac tumor, Germ cell tumor, Lynch syndrome, Ovarian cance