Citation

Baykan Z, Öktem İS, Cetinkaya F, Nacar M. Int. J. Occup. Safety Ergonomics 2015; 21(3): 291-297.

Affiliation

a Associate professor, Department of Medical Education , Erciyes University Medical Faculty, Phone: 90 (505) 265 84 07. Email: mnacar@erciyes.edu.tr.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Centralny Instytut Ochrony Pracy - Państwowy Instytut Badawczy, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/10803548.2015.1073008

PMID

26327156

Abstract

Recently, in Turkey, there has been an increase in the number of violent acts against health care workers, towards doctors in particular. This study aimed to investigate the extent of violence, the causes of violence and to evaluate proposed solutions to violence. Out of 597 physicians 86.4% indicated that they were exposed to at least one type of violence (physical, verbal, sexual) throughout their careers. Among the physicians participating in the study, 27.5% suffered physical threats and 68.6% suffered verbal violence in the past year. Only 40.4% reported the physical violence to their institution. Physicians indicated that the top three causes of violent behavior were excessive demands of the patients, the expectation that the issue will be solved immediately, and blaming physicians for their problems. To stop violence against themselves, physicians need to raise their voices, along with those of their personal or professional organizations, and should report and follow-up with the incidents.

Language: en