Gender differences in workplace violence against physicians and nurses in Latin America: a survey from the Interamerican Society of Cardiology

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate gender differences in workplace violence (WPV) against physicians and nurses in Latin America.

Study design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: A cross-sectional electronic survey was conducted between January 11 and February 28, 2022. A prespecified gender analysis was performed.

Results: Among the 3056 responses to the electronic survey, 57% were women, 81.6% were physicians, and 18.4% were nurses. At least one act of violence was experienced by 59.2% of respondents, with verbal violence being the most common (97.5%). Women experienced more WPV than men (65.8% vs 50.4%; P < 0.001; odds ratio [OR]: 1.89; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.63-2.19). Women were more likely to report at least one episode of WPV per week (19.2% vs 11.9%, P < 0.001), to request for psychological help (14.5% vs 9%, P = 0.001) and to experience more psychosomatic symptoms. In addition, women were more likely to report having considered changing their job after an aggression (57.6% vs 51.3%, P = 0.011) and even leaving their job (33% vs 25.7%, P = 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, being a woman (OR: 1.76), working in emergency departments (OR: 1.99), and with COVID-19 patients (OR: 3.3) were independently associated with more aggressive interactions, while older age (OR: 0.95) and working in a private setting (OR: 0.62) implied lower risk.

Conclusions: Women are more likely to experience WPV and to report more psychosomatic symptoms after the event. Preventive measures are urgently needed, with a special focus on high-risk groups such as women.

Keywords: Aggression; Gender; Healthcare workers; Nurses; Physicians; Workplace violence.