title: [Stalking of social healthcare workers: preliminary results of a study conducted by the region of Apulia, Italy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study has the aim to represent the degree of information/training about the identification of possible stalking acts and their frequency, within the context of public and private National Healthcare and Social Assistance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Socio-demographic data both of victims and possible stalkers, circumstances of events and the emotional responses of victims are gathered up by a multiple choice questionnaire , made by 20 questions, given to a sample of 101 subjects, which are practitioners within Healthcare and Social Assistance area (doctors, psychologists, nurses, social-health operators) both of public and private health facilities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Considering our sample, subjects which point out harassments linked to stalking are 30/101 (29.7%). Female sex is mainly represented F=22/30 (73, 3%) compared to male sex M=8/30 (26, 7%). 30, 14% of female health operators (nr 22/73) and 28, 57% of male health operators (nr 8/28) affirm that they are victims of harassments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate a lack of attention towards the stalking phenomenon, a limited trust of victims to the institutions, but also the persistence of a backward culture, within social and health services, about stalking, preventatives strategies of it and counter-actions of the harassment. Only a small part of them, 16.1%, reports what is happened or turn to anti-violence centres.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study highlights that information about stalking and its psychological consequences on victims/operators are insufficient in social and health area. It is necessary the star up of awareness campaigns, which gives information to practitioners of public and private Healthcare and Social Assistance area about characteristics of stalking and the way by which avoid its risks and prevent it.
authors: Ignazio
authors: I
authors: Grattagliano
authors: Annarita
authors: A
authors: Amoruso
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Scandamarro
authors: Grazia
authors: G
authors: Pierri
authors: Adriana
authors: A
authors: Pastore
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Margari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009770:Obsessive Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012949:Social Work, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055807:Stalking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data