TY - JOUR AU - IMRAN, NAZISH AU - Pervez, Muhammad Hassaan AU - Farooq, Rizwan AU - Asghar, Aisha Rukham PY - 2013/11/20 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - AGGRESSION AND VIOLENCE TOWARDS MEDICAL DOCTORS AND NURSES IN A PUBLIC HEALTH CARE FACILITY IN LAHORE, PAKISTAN: A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION JF - KHYBER MEDICAL UNIVERSITY JOURNAL JA - Khyber Med Univ J VL - 5 IS - 4 SE - Original Articles DO - UR - https://www.kmuj.kmu.edu.pk/article/view/11811 SP - 179-184 AB - <p><strong>Objective</strong><strong>: </strong>to examine the frequency, possible associated factors &amp; consequences of workplace violence towards doctors and nurses in a public healthcare facility in Lahore, thereby providing a basis for appropriate intervention.</p> <p><strong>Methodology</strong><strong>:</strong> We conducted a retrospective exploratory cross sectional study in a public sector hospital in Lahore, employing self-administered questionnaire to collect data on various aspects of workplace violence against doctors and nurses, in 12 months preceding the study. The sample covered 164 respondents (response rate 65.6 %). Suggestions for restricting future violent incidents were also sought. The data was analyzed using <em>the statistical package for the social sciences</em> (SPSS) version 17.</p> <p><strong>Results</strong><strong>: </strong>More than 2/3<sup>rd </sup>of the respondents (n=121/164, 73.8%) were the victims of violence in the preceding 12 months with verbal abuse (n=104/121, 86%) being the main aggression type encountered. Only 72/121 (59.5%) victims of violence reported the violence and majority of incidents (n=29/72, 40.3%) were reported to colleagues only. “No previous action” (73%) was the commonest reasons cited for not reporting the incidents. Workers exposed to violence &amp; aggression, experienced high level of psychological distress. Most common assailants were patients’ relatives (n=86/121, 71%) followed by patient themselves (n=37/121, 30.5%). Overcrowding and lack of security were cited as the main reasons for such incidents.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion</strong><strong>: </strong>Health care workers in public sector hospital setting in Lahore are frequently exposed to aggression and violence &amp; it is associated with many adverse consequences including high level of stress. Appropriate preventive measures including occupational support are required to make hospitals safer environments.</p><p> </p> ER -