Predictors of Treatment Access and Initiation Among Diverse, Low-Income Victims of Violence Offered a Trauma-Focused Evidence-Based Psychotherapy

Abstract

Many victims of violence may benefit from trauma-focused evidencebased psychotherapies (EBPs), but fail to utilize treatment. The current study investigated factors associated with treatment access and treatment initiation in a low-income, racially and ethnically diverse, urban population 

of victims of violence who were screened for EBPs. The sample consisted of 941 adults, mean age = 35.87 (SD = 12.8), who were screened for mental health treatment and offered an EBP. Overall, 55.7% of individuals accessed treatment by attending an in-person screening appointment and intake, and 79.0% of the individuals who accessed treatment then initiated treatment by attending the first EBP session. Analysis revealed higher age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) = [1.04, 1.09]) and lower expression of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms predicted higher rates.