Violence against general practitioners in Turkey

Area of Science:

• Medical Sociology
• Occupational Health
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Workplace violence against healthcare professionals is a significant concern.
• General Practitioners (GPs) are frontline healthcare providers susceptible to various forms of aggression.
• Understanding the prevalence and nature of violence against GPs is crucial for developing effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence and types of violence experienced by general practitioners (GPs).
• To identify the perpetrators and contributing factors of violence against GPs.
• To gather GPs' suggestions for the prevention of workplace violence.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive cross-sectional study design was employed.
• Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 522 general practitioners.
• Data were collected between November and December 2006.

Main Results:

• 82.8% of participating GPs reported experiencing violence.
• A total of 1,020 violent events were reported, with verbal violence being the most common (89.3%).
• Gender differences were observed: women experienced more verbal and sexual violence, while men faced more physical and economic violence. Patients and relatives were the primary perpetrators (91.1%), but colleagues and superiors were involved in economic and sexual violence.

Conclusions:

• Violence against general practitioners is a widespread issue demanding increased attention.
• Effective prevention strategies require continuous professional, administrative, and legal support from the government.
• Systematic, coordinated implementation of preventive measures, independent of political fluctuations, is essential.