title: Workplace violence towards nurses in Hong Kong: prevalence and correlates.
abstract: Nurses are especially vulnerable to violent and other forms of aggression in the workplace. Nonetheless, few population-based studies of workplace violence have been undertaken among working-age nurse professionals in Hong Kong in the last decade.
  
  
  
  The study estimates the prevalence and examines the socio-economic and psychological correlates of workplace violence (WPV) among professional nurses in Hong Kong. The study uses a cross-sectional survey design. Multivariate logistic regression examines the weighted prevalence rates of WPV and its associated factors for a population of nurses.
  
  
  
  A total of 850 nurses participated in the study. 44.6% had experienced WPV in the preceding year. Male nurses reported more WPV than their female counterparts. The most common forms of WPV were verbal abuse/bullying (39.2%), then physical assault (22.7%) and sexual harassment (1.1%). The most common perpetrators of WPV were patients (36.6%) and their relatives (17.5%), followed by colleagues (7.7%) and supervisors (6.3%). Clinical position, shift work, job satisfaction, recent disturbances with colleagues, deliberate self-harm (DSH) and symptoms of anxiety were significantly correlated with WPV for nurses.
  
  
  
  WPV remains a significant concern for healthcare worldwide. Hong Kong's local health authority should put in place a raft of zero-tolerance measures to prevent WPV in healthcare settings.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong. teris.cheung@polyu.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Teris
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.affiliation: Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Paul S F
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Yip
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D064450:Workplace Violence / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cross-sectional; DASS21; Hong Kong; Nurses; Occupational hazards; Public health; Workplace violence