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Risk factors for physical assault. State-managed workers' compensation experience
Syed S Islam1, Surender R Edla, Priscah Mujuru
1Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Community Medicine, West Virginia University, School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, USA. sislam@hsc.wvu.edu
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|June 24, 2003
Summary
Workplace violence disproportionately affects healthcare, public safety, and education workers. Male healthcare workers face higher assault risks, and female healthcare workers on night shifts are particularly vulnerable.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Public Health
- Criminology
Background:
- Nonfatal occupational assault injuries are understudied in statewide contexts.
- State workers' compensation systems offer valuable data for incidence and risk factor analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the incidence of workplace assault injuries in West Virginia from 1997-1999.
- To identify and evaluate risk factors associated with these occupational assaults.
Main Methods:
- Utilized West Virginia Workers' Compensation claims data (1997-1999).
- Estimated incidence rates of physical assault injuries.
- Assessed risk factors using proportional injury ratios (PIRs).
Main Results:
- 2122 compensated injuries linked to workplace violence.
- Assault injury incidence: 108.2 per 100,000 employee years.
- Healthcare, public safety, and teachers comprised 75% of assaults.
- Higher incidence in women; higher risk in men across leading occupations.
- Night shifts increased assault risk for female healthcare workers (PIR=1.8).
Conclusions:
- Healthcare sector bore the highest burden of assault injuries.
- Despite female majority, male healthcare workers had higher assault injury risk.
- Identified risk factors and injury patterns for high-risk occupations can inform violence prevention strategies.
- Targeted interventions for female night-shift healthcare workers, especially in nursing homes, are crucial.