Workplace violence against frontline clinicians in emergency departments during the COVID-19 pandemic
Rui Liu,
Yue Li,
Ying An,
Ling Zhang,
Feng-Rong An,
Jia Luo,
Aiping Wang,
Yan-Jie Zhao,
Anzhe Yuan,
Teris Cheung,
Gabor S. Ungvari,
Ming-Zhao Qin,
Yu-Tao Xiang
Affiliations
Rui Liu
The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders Beijing Anding Hospital & the Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Yue Li
Department of Nursing, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Ying An
Department of Emergency Medicine, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Ling Zhang
The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders Beijing Anding Hospital & the Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Feng-Rong An
The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders Beijing Anding Hospital & the Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Jia Luo
The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders Beijing Anding Hospital & the Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Aiping Wang
Department of Emergency Medicine, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Yan-Jie Zhao
Unit of Psychiatry, Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, & Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China
Anzhe Yuan
Eastside High School, Gainesville, FL, USA
Teris Cheung
School of Nursing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hongkong SAR, China
Gabor S. Ungvari
Division of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
Ming-Zhao Qin
Department of Geriatric Medicine, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Yu-Tao Xiang
Unit of Psychiatry, Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, & Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China
Background Frontline clinicians working in emergency departments (ED) were at disportionate risk of workplace violence (WPV). We investigated the prevalence of WPV and its relationship with quality of life (QOL) in this group of health professionals in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A cross-sectional, online study was conducted. The nine-item Workplace Violence Scale measured WPV. Results A total of 1,103 ED clinicians participated in this study. The overall prevalence of WPV against ED clinicians was 29.2% (95% CI [26.5%-31.9%]). Having family/friends/colleagues infected with COVID-19 (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.82, P = 0.01), current smoking (OR = 2.98, P < 0.01) and severity of anxiety symptoms (OR = 1.08, P < 0.01) were independently and positively associated with WPV, while working in emergency intensive care units (OR = 0.45, P < 0.01) was negatively associated with WPV. After controlling for covariates, clinicians experiencing WPV had a lower global QOL compared to those without (F(1, 1103) = 10.9,P < 0.01). Conclusions Prevalence of workplace violence against ED clinicians was common in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the negative impact of WPV on QOL and quality of care, timely preventive measures should be undertaken for ED clinicians.
