Citation

Maguire BJ, O'Meara P, O'Neill BJ, Brightwell R. Am. J. Ind. Med. 2018; 61(2): 167-180.

Affiliation

Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/ajim.22797

PMID

29178541

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Violence against emergency medical services (EMS) personnel is a growing concern. The aim of this systematic review is to synthesize the current literature on violence against EMS personnel.

METHODS: We examined literature from 2000 to 2016. Eligibility criteria included English-language, peer-reviewed studies of EMS personnel that described violence or assaults. Sixteen searches identified 2655 studies; 25 studies from nine countries met the inclusion criteria.

RESULTS: The evidence from this review demonstrates that violence is a common risk for EMS personnel. We identified three critical topic areas: changes in risk over time, economic impact of violence and, outcomes of risk-reduction interventions. There is a lack of peer reviewed research of interventions, with the result that current intervention programs have no reliable evidence base.

CONCLUSIONS: EMS leaders and personnel should work together with researchers to design, implement, evaluate and publish intervention studies designed to mitigate risks of violence to EMS personnel.

© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Language: en

Keywords

EMS; assault; fatality; paramedics; violence