title: Work-related violence and its association with self-rated general health among public sector employees in Sweden.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Work-related violence is one of the most serious threats to employee safety and health.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To ascertain the extent of self-reported violence or threats of violence at work in relation to the general health of public sector employees.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population comprised 9,611 female (83%) and male public employees in Sweden. A questionnaire based on items derived mainly from validated instruments was constructed to cover aspects such as health, lifestyle, and physical and psychosocial work conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One in three employees reported work-related violence, with the highest proportions among psychiatric nurses (79%) and psychiatric attendants (75%). Work-related violence more often affected those who were < 45 years old, worked < 40 hours/week, worked nights, or reported poor health. Regardless of gender, age, hours of work, night work, and type of occupation, exposure to work-related violence was associated with less than good general health, and this relationship was strongest for psychiatric nurses (OR=3.19; 95% CI=1.28-7.98), medical doctors/dentists (OR=2.46; 95% CI=1.35-4.49), compulsory school teachers (OR=2.14; 95% CI=1.33-3.45), and other nurses (OR=1.87; 95% CI=1.23-2.84).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Work-related violence was frequently reported by employees in the most common public sector occupations, and it was associated with poor health in both genders.
authors.affiliation: Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Marjan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vaez
authors.affiliation: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Malin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Josephson
authors.affiliation: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vingård
authors.affiliation: Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Margaretha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Voss
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D017150:Public Sector; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016526:Workload / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017132:Workplace
keywords: Psychiatric nurses; health care workers; health status; medical doctors/dentists; work conditions