Citation

Travetto C, Daciuk N, Fernández S, Ortiz P, Mastandueno R, Prats M, Flichtentrei D, Tajer C. Rev. Panam. Salud Publica 2015; 38(4): 307-315.

Vernacular Title

Agresiones hacia profesionales en el ámbito de la salud.

Affiliation

Hospital de Alta Complejidad en Red El Cruce Dr. Néstor Carlos Kirchner SAMIC, Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Organizacion Panamericana de la Salud (PAHO))

DOI

unavailable

PMID

26758222

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Determine the frequency of assaults on health workers and characterize aspects that deepen understanding and development of prevention strategies.

METHODS: A voluntary and confidential electronic survey was conducted through the IntraMed website, a social network of health professionals. Frequency of verbal and physical assaults was analyzed along with their association with demographic variables, occupation, career, specialty, potential consequences, perception of insecurity in the workplace, and proposals to reduce them.

RESULTS: A total of 19 967 surveys were analyzed, of which 13 323 (66.7%) described assaults. Assaults were physical in 11.3% of cases, and 73.4% occurred in public institutions, mainly in emergency areas. Delay in care and lack of resources were the most frequent triggers. Alcohol or drug intoxication was reported in 13.8% of aggressors, altered mental status from another cause or psychiatric illness in 13.9%, and no detected impairment of mental faculties in 63%. Of professionals attacked, 16.9% reported sequelae, 7.9% of which were physical, and 28% were temporarily unable to work. Insecurity in the workplace was described by 46.6% of respondents, who suggested various measures to reduce it, chief among them, community education CONCLUSIONS: Verbal and physical violence toward health workers was frequent, resulting in work-related, mental, and even physical sequelae. This study contributes information that could be used to develop strategies aimed at prevention and control of assaults.

Language: es