Kunnath Rahul, Thayyil Jayakrishnan, Suresh Nithin, Soman Suvarna
Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College, Kozhikode, Kozhikode, IND.
Department of Community Medicine, KMCT Medical College, Kozhikode, IND.
Cureus. 2023 Nov 16;15(11):e48887. doi: 10.7759/cureus.48887. eCollection 2023 Nov.
The escalation of violence against doctors, a global concern, is also evident in India. In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in the instances of violence against doctors in Kerala, a state situated in the southern part of India. This study examines the prevalence and types of violence against doctors in Kerala, considering factors, such as gender, workplace, designation, timing, and those involved.
This cross-sectional study involved modern medicine doctors holding a minimum degree in Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), practicing in Kerala. Data collection used validated questionnaires distributed as Google Forms through WhatsApp and email after obtaining contact details from the Indian Medical Association, Kerala wing. A total of 2,400 doctors across all 14 districts participated, and data analysis was done using the IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 21 (released 2012; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States).
Among 1,948 respondents, 65.6% (n=1279) of doctors experienced violence, predominantly verbal abuse (89.9%, n=1150), and intimidation by gestures (32.7%, n=418). Most incidents happened during the day (84.7%, n=1083), with 32% (n=409) occurring after duty hours. Casualty triage had the highest incidence (57.5%, n=736), followed by outpatient departments (33.6%, n=430). Relatives or bystanders were the foremost perpetrators in 81.5% (n=1043) of cases. Although 48.6% (n=621) of incidents were reported to authorities, only 13.5% (n=173) had any sort of preventive measures taken. A significant 76.7% (n=981) of doctors contemplated relocating abroad.
This research underscores the alarming prevalence of workplace violence against doctors in Kerala, echoing global trends. The inadequate implementation of preventive measures highlights the gap between awareness and action, necessitating an examination of barriers in healthcare settings.
针对医生的暴力行为升级是一个全球关注的问题，在印度也很明显。近年来，位于印度南部的喀拉拉邦针对医生的暴力事件显著增加。本研究考察了喀拉拉邦针对医生的暴力行为的发生率和类型，同时考虑了性别、工作场所、职称、时间以及相关人员等因素。
这项横断面研究涉及在喀拉拉邦执业、拥有医学学士和外科学士（MBBS）最低学位的现代医学医生。在从印度医学协会喀拉拉邦分会获取联系方式后，通过WhatsApp和电子邮件以谷歌表单的形式分发经过验证的问卷来收集数据。来自所有14个区的总共2400名医生参与了调查，数据分析使用IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows 21版（2012年发布；IBM公司，美国纽约州阿蒙克）。
在1948名受访者中，65.6%（n = 1279）的医生遭遇过暴力，主要是言语辱骂（89.9%，n = 1150）以及手势恐吓（32.7%，n = 418）。大多数事件发生在白天（84.7%，n = 1083），其中32%（n = 409）发生在工作时间之后。伤亡分诊处的发生率最高（57.5%，n = 736），其次是门诊部（33.6%，n = 430）。在81.5%（n = 1043）的案件中，亲属或旁观者是首要肇事者。尽管48.6%（n = 621）的事件已向当局报告，但只有13.5%（n = 173）采取了任何预防措施。高达76.7%（n = 981）的医生考虑出国工作。
本研究强调了喀拉拉邦针对医生的工作场所暴力行为的惊人发生率，这与全球趋势一致。预防措施实施不力凸显了意识与行动之间的差距，有必要审视医疗环境中的障碍。
