Sexual Assault, Intimate Partner Violence, Adverse Childhood Experiences, Substance Use, Health Outcomes of Interpersonal Violence, Forensic Nursing

Dr. Downing Website 

My research is informed by over 20 years as a forensic nurse providing care for patients following sexual assault, intimate partner violence, human trafficking, and other forms of interpersonal violence. My program of study focuses on developing and implementing innovative interventions to mitigate or prevent long-term negative health sequelae of interpersonal violence, including posttraumatic stress disorder, chronic pain, depression, anxiety, substance misuse, and chronic disease.  Another area of scholarship includes contributing to the development of standards and strengthening evidence-based practices in forensic nursing. I served as Principal Investigator of a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime to develop and implement the Texas Teleforensic Remote Assistance Center (Tex-TRAC), Texas’s statewide telehealth sexual assault nurse examiner program. Other funded projects include several HRSA Rural Community Opioid Response Program grants to prevent and treat substance use disorder in rural Texas, and a National Institute of Justice grant examining alternate light source technology to improve bruise assessment following interpersonal violence.

Health innovation & technology (telehealth, alternate light sources, digital health/mhealth)