Health-care provider challenges to the identification of human trafficking in health-care settings: A qualitative study

Authors: Recknor, Frances; Gemeinhardt, Gretchen & Selwyn, Beatrice

Abstract: This study explored health-care providers’ perspectives on practitioner-related factors that can challenge their ability to identify adult victims of labor and sex trafficking seeking medical attention in the U.S. health-care system. Forty-four interviews were conducted with health-care professionals in Houston, Texas, between June 2015 and February 2016. Thematic content analysis was conducted to identify emerging themes. Overall, the number of victims identified by providers was low as was providers’ awareness and knowledge of human trafficking, particularly forced labor. Clinician-related factors inhibiting identification included the following: inadequate community resources for which to refer victims and clinician lack of knowledge of extant resources; the absence of institutional guidance in caring for victims; and clinician-held stereotypes of stigmatized populations. Findings of this study provide support for existing scholarship. They also suggest that health-care settings need to implement protocols for care with mechanisms of referral to vetted community resources for victims who decide to leave their traffickers. Findings also suggest the need for evidenced-based education for health-care providers, which address stereotypes that can impede provider/patient relations. Trainings might draw on established best practices for working with other stigmatized populations such as those with HIV and mental illness.

Keywords: health-care provider, human trafficking, identification challenges