Work-Related Vi
Work-Related
Violence among Female Employees in a University Hospital in Alexandria: An
Epidemiologic Study
Mona Shawki Moustafa1,
and Gihan Ismail Gewaifel2
1 Industrial Medicine and Occupational Health,
Department of Community Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt.
2 Public Health, Social and Preventive Medicine,
Department of Community Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt.
email: [email protected]
Abstract:
Violence is one of the most prevailing and dangerous occupational hazards
facing health care workers (HCWs) notably female HCWs. Recently, violence
became a major concern in different Egyptian hospitals notably after the 25th
of January revolution and bursting increase demand on hospitals.Objectives:
to determine prevalence of workplace violence in the last 12 months prior to
the survey and its risk factors among female employees at the Main University
Hospital in Alexandria, Egypt. Subjects and methods: A cross
sectional interviewing survey was conducted in The Main University Hospital in
Alexandria from 1st of August 2011 till 1st April 2012 targeting 540 female
HCWs. Results: Prevalence of violence incidents was (72.6%) among
female HCWs. Verbal violence (70.7%) was the most common form encountered among
female HCWs followed by physical (17.4%) and sexual violence (2.2%). Female
HCWs exposed to violence were significantly younger than those who did not
experience violence (P=0.048). Being single constituted risk for violence
(OR=4.18, CI: 2.23-7.94) so as the positive history of exposure to violence at
home (OR=2.6, CI: 1.7-4.1), engaging in rotating shifts (OR=2.2 CI: 1.5-3.4).
Long-term impact of exposure to violence was in the form of arguments with
colleagues (97.4%), dissatisfaction with current job (73.5%), depression
(38.8%), and negative effects on social life (28.5%) and on job performance
(19.4%). Conclusion: Violence is prevalent among female HCWs in
Main University Hospital, Alexandria. Special attention should be directed to
control violence against young single nurses in rotating shifts specially who
had history of exposure to violence.
[Mona Shawki Moustafa and Gihan
Gowaifel. Work-Related Violence among Female Employees in a
University Hospital in Alexandria: An Epidemiologic Study. J Am Sci 2013;9(3):243-250].
(ISSN: 1545-1003). http://www.americanscience.org. 33
Keywords: violence, female, health care workers, hospital,
occupational health. Full Text 33
