Human Trafficking “Modern Day Slavery” Promoting the Need for Adequate Screening, Assessment, and Interventions for Physical and Mental Conditions by Healthcare Professionals

Author: Kennedy, Bernice

Abstract: Worldwide human trafficking, frequently referred to as “modern-day slavery,” is considered to be the third-largest criminal industry and one of the fastest-growing, surpassed only by arms and drug dealing. Human trafficking is a multi-faceted complex global issue that involves essentially all developed countries either as a source, transit or destination sites. It is the act of recruiting, receiving, and apprehending individuals using threat, coercion and or physical force for exploitation. This analytical review of the literature addressed existing research and literature on the current status of human trafficking. The victims of trafficking may access some healthcare organizations at some point in time during their captivity. Therefore, health professionals (e.g., advanced practice nurses, nurses) need to be able to screen, assess and identify certain clues and health conditions that are common to this population. Besides, to improve their health outcomes, this visit will be useful for their capture. The Holistic Model Based on Adequate Screening, Assessment and Interventions for Improving the Health Outcomes in Victims of Human Trafficking is a useful model for guiding health professionals in recognizing the relevance of abuse when victims present certain illnesses in diverse healthcare organizations. Strategies for improving the health outcomes for this group include: (a) adequate screening, assessment, and interventions and (b) more education for health professionals on assessing and recognizing victims of human trafficking. Policy development is needed in changing laws for the protection of victims of human trafficking around the globe.

Keywords: women, females, modern day slavery, global, human trafficking, sex trafficking, labor trafficking, health inequalities, health promotion, health disparities, treatment, policy development, health professionals, advanced practice nurses, nurses