A case series measuring campus and clinic level factors during implementation of a sexual violence prevention intervention in campus health and counseling centers: does environment matter?

OBJECTIVE: This study examined campus and clinic factors that may influence likelihood of implementing sexual violence (SV) prevention for college students seeking care in campus health and counseling centers. METHODS: Campus-, clinic-, and student-level data were collected from both intervention and control campuses as part of a 28-campus cluster randomized controlled trial. A case series exploratory data analysis assessed differences in the implementation of an SV prevention intervention by campus characteristics. RESULTS: All large schools were in the top quartile for reporting positive prevention policies regarding SV. At the clinic level, the presence of SV protocols and procedures varied widely with no clear correlation with school size. Students at intervention schools where providers received instruction and tools to facilitate these discussions reported more discussions with providers about SV. Only school size appeared to be associated with positive SV policies on campus and student-reported receipt of SV prevention intervention. Large schools performed well on campus-level policies, yet students reported some of the lowest levels of intervention receipt in the clinics at these larger schools. IMPLICATIONS: Consistency between campus and clinic environments and implementation of the intervention was not observed. Our findings suggest that high performance regarding SV policy and prevention on a campus do not necessarily translate to implementation of appropriate SV prevention and care for students seeking care on campus, including assessments, resources, referrals, and services. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT registration: NCT02355470 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s43058-023-00467-7.