title: Physical assault, physical threat, and verbal abuse perpetrated against hospital workers by patients or visitors in six U.S. hospitals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An elevated risk of patient/visitor perpetrated violence (type II) against hospital nurses and physicians have been reported, while little is known about type II violence among other hospital workers, and circumstances surrounding these events.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospital workers (n = 11,000) in different geographic areas were invited to participate in an anonymous survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twelve-month prevalence of type II violence was 39%; 2,098 of 5,385 workers experienced 1,180 physical assaults, 2,260 physical threats, and 5,576 incidents of verbal abuse. Direct care providers were at significant risk, as well as some workers that do not provide direct care. Perpetrator circumstances attributed to violent events included altered mental status, behavioral issues, pain/medication withdrawal, dissatisfaction with care. Fear for safety was common among worker victims (38%). Only 19% of events were reported into official reporting systems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pervasive occupational safety issue is of great concern and likely extends to patients for whom these workers care for.
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Medical Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Pompeii
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Ashley L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Schoenfisch
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Hester J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lipscomb
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dement
authors.affiliation: St. Luke's Medical Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Claudia D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Division of Management, Policy and Community Health, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Medical Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Mudita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Upadhyaya
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000066550:Physical Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012449:Safety; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D064450:Workplace Violence / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: hospital workers; type II violence; workplace violence