Workplace Violence Prevalence and Reporting in Home Health Care

Workplace violence (WV) is a significant occupational hazard for home health care workers (HHCWs). HHCWs are frequently exposed to Type II (customer/client) WV incidents but minimal evidence exists about exposure to Type III (coworker) WV and exposure to Type IV (personal relationship) WV is unknown. Furthermore, exposure to WV incidents is often underreported by HHCWs.

The Haddon Matrix guided this research study. A cross-sectional research design was used with HHCWs (n=46) working in Southwest Ohio during April 2020. HHCWs completed the Workplace Violence Reporting Survey, a 76-item tool used to estimate the frequency and reporting of WV incidents. Data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations.

HHCWs were 87.2% female (n=41). Patients (28%) followed by their families (17%) and intimate partners (10.9%) are the primary aggressors of verbal abuse. The incident was too minor (6.5%), no action would be taken (6.5%), and it's part of the job (4.3%) are major reasons HHCWs underreported WV.

Type II WV is most pervasive when the aggressor is the patient. HHCWs experience physical assault and sexual abuse in their work environment. HHCWs underreported verbal abuse and physical assault when the aggressor was an intimate partner.