The Prevalence and Affected Factors of Workplace Violence against Staff Working in a Public Secondary Care Hospital in Southern Thailand

Abstract

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence, type, and characteristic of workplace violence in a hospital, as well as the associated factors.  We conducted a cross-sectional study during July and August 2020. We utilized a self-administered questionnaire completed by hospital staff of a community hospital in the southern part of Thailand (n=327). We used logistic regression to identify factors associated with workplace violence.

Results:  The prevalence of workplace violence was 47.09%. Verbal violence was the most prevalent (45.87%), followed by bullying (11.62%), physical violence (7.95%), and sexual violence (2.75%). Violence occurred more frequently in the emergency department and outpatient clinic. The main perpetrators of physical and sexual violence were patients, while verbal violence came mostly e from patients’ relatives. Co-workers were responsible for bullying. Though violence had emotional impacts, only 7.9% of the staff reported the incidents formally. Logistic regression analysis showed that being employed in shift work, the patient being male, ineffective hospital policy, and poor communication skills were risk factors of physical violence. Working in the outpatient department, ineffective security measures, poor communication skills, being employed in shift work, having work stress, aggressive behavior of perpetrators, and increasing years of work experience were risk factors of verbal violence. Poor communication skills and aggressive behavior of perpetrators were risk factors for bullying.

Conclusion: Hospital staff faced violence in workplace that could impact them physically and emotionally. Hospital policy and measures against violence should be enforced to prevent workplace violence.