Citation

Aspera-Campos T, Hernández-Carranco RG, Gutiérrez-Barrera ADT, Quintero-Valle LM. Rev. Med. Inst. Mex. Seguro Soc. 2020; 58(Suppl 2): S134-143.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Officina de Bibliotecas y Divulgacion de la Jefatura de los Servicios de Ensenanza e Investigacion)

DOI

10.24875/RMIMSS.M20000125

PMID

34695326

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Violence against health personnel is an understudied phenomenon in Mexico, which has increased during periods of health contingency.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the prevalence and type of violence against health professionals before and during the COVID-19 health contingency and determine the characteristics of the worker with the highest exposure. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cross-sectional descriptive study, carried out during April of 2020, in 562 health workers, who answered a sociodemographic identification card and a questionnaire to know the characteristics, types and consequences of aggression before and during the contingency, through an electronic and anonymous platform. A non-probabilistic sampling (snowball) was used in different states of Mexico.

RESULTS: 47.7% of the participants experienced aggressions, 12.8% verbal type and 34.9% verbal/physical aggressions during the last year, where women showed to be more attacked (chi squared = 12.12, p = 0.000). During health contingency, 16.8% perceived aggression, 13.2% verbal type and 3.6% verbal/physical aggression, with nurses being the most attacked (chi squared = 5.57, p = 0.018). A logistic regression model confirmed that being a woman and belonging to nursing profession has, respectively as far as 2.5 and 3 times more risk of suffering violence.

CONCLUSIONS: Violence against health personnel requires immediate strategies, especially in critical periods in the community, where aggressions occur inside and outside of hospitals, which have an impact on worker's safety and health institutions.

Language: en

Keywords

Health Personnel; Aggression; COVID-19; Agresión; Coronavirus Infections; Infecciones por Coronavirus; Personal de Salud; Violencia Laboral; Workplace Violence