title: Patient aggression: is the clinical practice setting safe?
abstract: Over the past 20 or so years, a number of studies have examined patient aggression toward healthcare professionals. While the majority of these studies has focused on healthcare professionals in the fields of emergency medicine, psychiatry, and primary care, available data extends beyond these three specialties. Studies have been done in the United States, other English-speaking countries, and elsewhere- all reporting surprisingly high rates of patient aggression. Results indicate that patient aggression toward healthcare professionals is common and worldwide. In addition, one study examined aggressive patient behaviors as reported by the patients themselves, and their self-report data reinforce the mainstream data. While these data do not enable us to determine if patient aggression is genuinely on the increase, we can safely say that these behaviors are rampant.
authors.affiliation: R. Sansone is a professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Internal Medicine at Wright State University School of Medicine in Dayton, OH, and Director of Psychiatry Education at Kettering Medical Center in Kettering, OH. L. Sansone is a civilian family medicine physician and Medical Director of the Family Health Clinic at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Medical Center in WPAFB, OH. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the United States Air Force, Department of Defense, or United States Government.
authors.forename: Randy A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Sansone
authors.affiliation: R. Sansone is a professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Internal Medicine at Wright State University School of Medicine in Dayton, OH, and Director of Psychiatry Education at Kettering Medical Center in Kettering, OH. L. Sansone is a civilian family medicine physician and Medical Director of the Family Health Clinic at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Medical Center in WPAFB, OH. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the United States Air Force, Department of Defense, or United States Government.
authors.forename: Lori A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Sansone
keywords: Aggression; healthcare; patient aggression; patient violence; physicians; violence