{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T01:28:37Z","timestamp":1760059717428,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,3]],"date-time":"2025-07-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1751500800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Infectious Disease Reports"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Sexual assault victims involving penetration are at risk of contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) can effectively prevent HIV infection if initiated promptly within 72 h following exposure and adhered to for 28 days. Nonetheless, therapeutic adherence amongst sexual assault victims is low. Victim-centered care, provided by specially trained forensic nurses and midwives, may increase adherence. Methods: We conducted a retrospective case\u2013control study to evaluate the impact of sexual assault center (SAC)\u2014centered care on adherence to PEP compared to care received in the emergency department (ED). Data from January 2011 to February 2022 were reviewed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to determine the association between centralized specific care for sexual assault victims and completion of the 28-day PEP regimen. The secondary outcome assessed was provision of psychological support within 5 days following the assault. Results: We analyzed 856 patients of whom 403 (47.1%) received care at a specialized center for sexual assault victims. Attendance at the SAC, relative to the ED, was not associated with greater probability of PEP completion both in the unadjusted (52% vs. 50.6%; odds ratio [OR]: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.81 to 1.39; p = 0.666) and adjusted (OR: 0.81, 95%CI 0.58\u20131.11; p = 0.193) analysis. The care provided at the SAC was associated with improved early (42.7% vs. 21.5%; p &lt; 0.001) and delayed (67.3% vs. 33.7%; p &lt; 0.001) psychological support. Conclusions: SAC-centered care is not associated with an increase in PEP completion rates in sexual assault victims beyond the increase associated with improved access to early and delayed psychological support. Other measures to improve PEP completion rates should be developed. What is already known on this topic\u2014Completion rates for HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) among victims of sexual assault are low. Specialized sexual assault centers, which provide comprehensive care and are distinct from emergency departments, have been suggested as a potential means of improving treatment adherence and completion rates. However, their actual impact on treatment completion remains unclear. What this study adds\u2014This study found that HIV PEP completion rates in sexual assault victims were not significantly improved by centralized care in a specialized sexual assault center when compared to care initiated in the emergency department and continued within a sexually transmitted infection clinic. However, linkage to urgent psychological and psychiatric care was better in the specialized sexual assault center. How this study might affect research, practice or policy\u2014Healthcare providers in sexual assault centers should be more aware of their critical role in promoting PEP adherence and improving completion rates. Policymakers should ensure that measures aimed at improving HIV PEP outcomes are implemented at all points of patient contact in these centers. Further research is needed to assess the cost-effectiveness of specialized sexual assault centers.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/idr17040077","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,3]],"date-time":"2025-07-03T04:07:17Z","timestamp":1751515637000},"page":"77","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The Role of Centralized Sexual Assault Care Centers in HIV Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Treatment Adherence: A Retrospective Single Center Analysis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3840-0491","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Stefano","family":"Malinverni","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Emergency Department, Universit\u00e9 Libre de Bruxelles, 1000 Brussels, Belgium"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-8141-5908","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Shirine","family":"Kargar Samani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Emergency Department, Universit\u00e9 Libre de Bruxelles, 1000 Brussels, Belgium"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Christine","family":"Gilles","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gynecology Department, Universit\u00e9 Libre de Bruxelles, 1000 Brussels, Belgium"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Agn\u00e8s","family":"Libois","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Infectious Diseases Department, Universit\u00e9 Libre de Bruxelles, 1000 Brussels, Belgium"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Floriane","family":"B\u00e9doret","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Emergency Department, Universit\u00e9 Libre de Bruxelles, 1000 Brussels, Belgium"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106497","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chiabu.2023.106497","article-title":"International guidelines for the prevention of sexual violence: A systematic review and perspective of WHO, UN Women, UNESCO, and UNICEF\u2019s publications","volume":"146","author":"Miele","year":"2023","journal-title":"Child Abus. 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