title: Patient and visitor violence towards staff on medical and psychiatric wards in India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patient and visitor violence (PVV) towards staff is common across health settings. It has negative effects on staff and treatment provision. Little data is available from the developing world.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the prevalence of PVV in India and make comparisons with the existing data.
  
  
  METHODS
  We administered an abbreviated version of the Survey of Violence Experienced by Staff (SOVES-A) in English in Mysore on medical and psychiatric wards.
  
  
  RESULTS
  249 staff participated. 16% of staff in psychiatric wards were subjected to some form of PVV in the past 4 weeks which is lower than in the developed world. 57% of staff on medical wards experienced PVV which is similar to the developed world. Patients and Visitors were almost equal sources of this violence. Verbal abuse was more common than threats and physical assaults. Training in aggression management may be a protective factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PVV is a significant problem in India, especially on medical wards. Aggression management training may be a way to reduce the prevalence of PVV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, Mysore, India.
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Raveesh
authors.affiliation: Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Wrexham, UK; Centre for Mental Health and Society, Bangor University, UK; Department of Psychiatry, Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, Mysore, India. Electronic address: peter.lepping@wales.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lepping
authors.affiliation: Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Wrexham, UK.
authors.forename: Sri V K
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Lanka
authors.affiliation: Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Wrexham, UK.
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: CSI Holdsworth Memorial Hospital, Mysore, India. Electronic address: muralidoc@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Murali
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krishna
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Patient and visitor violence; Percentage prevalence & general hospital; Violence and aggression