Haddon matrix model: Application to workplace violence in a hospital setting

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Occupational Safety
• Public Health

Background:

• Workplace violence (WPV) is a significant issue in healthcare settings.
• Existing models may not fully capture the multifactorial nature of WPV risks.
• The Haddon Matrix Model (HMM) offers a structured framework for risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify hospital-based workplace violence risk factors using the Haddon Matrix Model.
• To evaluate the utility of the Haddon Matrix Model in conceptualizing multiple risks for WPV events.
• To analyze patient and healthcare staff data to understand WPV triggers.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive study utilizing two independent convenience samples: patient violence data (N=192) and healthcare staff survey responses (N=380).
• Analysis included logistic regression for patient-associated violence factors.
• Chi-square and two-sample t-tests examined employee, environmental, and cultural factors related to WPV.

Main Results:

• Violence risk factors were identified across the four Haddon Matrix domains (Host, Agent, Physical Environment, Social Environment) at pre-event and event time frames.
• Pre-event risks included worker demographics, patient characteristics, physical environment features, and social environment safety.
• Event-time risks involved patient behavior/delirium and medication/patient identification processes.

Conclusions:

• The Haddon Matrix Model successfully identified and categorized numerous hospital-based workplace violence risks.
• The HMM demonstrates utility as a comprehensive framework for understanding and addressing WPV in healthcare.
• Applying the HMM can inform targeted interventions to mitigate violence risks in hospitals.