BackgroundPrevention and management of workplace violence among health workers has been described in different health care settings. However, little is known about which phenomena the emergency primary health care (EPC) organization should attend to in their strategies for preventing and managing it. In the current study, we therefore explored how EPC personnel have dealt with threats and violence from visitors or patients, focusing on how organizational factors affected the incidents.MethodsA focus group study was performed with a sample of 37 nurses and physicians aged 25–69 years. Eight focus group interviews were conducted, and the participants were invited to talk about their experiences of violence in EPC. Analysis was conducted by systematic text condensation, searching for themes describing the participants’ experiences.ResultsFour main themes emerged for anticipating or dealing with incidents of threats or violence within the system: (1) minimizing the risk of working alone, (2) being prepared, (3) resolving the mismatch between patient expectations and the service offered, and (4) supportive manager response.ConclusionOur study shows a potential for development of better organizational strategies for protecting EPC personnel who are at risk from workplace violence.

A qualitative study was conducted among 18 abused women from different parts of Norway to explore what paid work means for women exposed to partner violence and how living with an abusive partner affected their working life. Based on systematic text condensation analyses of their experiences as described in individual and focus group interviews, the study’s findings reveal two major themes. The first is about recovery and survival, and the other about the spillover of problems caused by a violent partner into paid work. Work was important to the women, as it represented time off from violence, contact with others who cared for them, and maintenance of self-esteem and self-confidence. Having their own money provided security and strengthened the belief that they could manage on their own. The spillover of intimate partner violence problems appeared through feelings of fear, shame and guilt at work.

In a cross-sectional study, we sent a self-administered questionnaire to all the women's shelters in Norway to describe health-related quality of life among women who had experienced violence from an intimate partner. Every woman who could understand Norwegian and was staying at a women's shelter in Norway for more than 1 week from October 2002 to May 2003 was asked to participate. We described violence by intimate partners by using the Severity of Violence against Women Scale and the Psychological Maltreatment of Women Index. We used the SF-36 Health Survey to measure health-related quality of life. These women experienced a multitude of threats and actual physical and psychological violence during their partnership. Their health-related quality of life was low and significantly (p<0.001) below the norm for the female population of Norway in all dimensions. The SF-36 mental health dimension was 2.5 standard deviations below the norm. Women at women's shelters in Norway who had experienced domestic violence had very low and clinically significantly reduced health-related quality of life scores. Health care workers must give priority to developing intervention plans for victims of violence from intimate partners.

Intimate partner violence, Follow-up study, Quality of life after separation, SF-36, WHOQOL-BREF,

BackgroundQuality of life among abused women in Norway in 2006 was found to be significantly low compared to women at the same age in general. The aim of this study was to examine how quality of life is associated with experience of psychological and physical violence intimate partner violence among abused women seeking help after domestic partner abuse comparted to quality of life in a random sample of women in Norway.MethodsA cross-sectional study in a random sample of 1500 women (response rate 36%, n = 469) in Norway were performed. In addition, 191 women who sought help after domestic partner abuse were invited (44%, n = 84). The experience of intimate partner violence (IPV) and health-related quality of life were measured in both samples. The participants were divided into: “Women seeking help” after domestic partner abuse (n = 84); “Random sample, abused women” (n = 127); and “Random sample, not abused women” (n = 342).ResultsThe experience of psychological and physical violence was significantly different between the groups (p <  0.0001). The domains in SF-12 were significantly below (p <  0.001) the norm for the female population in Norway in all dimensions among the abused women in the random population sample, and even lower among the women seeking help because of IPV.ConclusionIntimate partner violence is clearly associated with low quality of life. The pattern found in this study is similar to the pattern found in the previous Norwegian study among abused women seeking help.

BackgroundIncidents of aggression and violence from patients and visitors occur in emergency primary care. Most previous studies have focused on risk factors such as characteristics of patient, health personnel or situation. This study aimed to explore professional-patient interaction in aggressive situations.MethodsA focus group study with eight focus groups was performed, including a total of 37 nurses and physicians aged 25–69 years. The participants were invited to talk about their experiences of violence in emergency primary care. Analysis was conducted by systematic text condensation. Results were then illuminated by Honneth’s theory The Struggle for Recognition.ResultsWe identified three main themes regarding the interaction between health personnel and patients or visitors in aggressive situations: (1) unmet needs, (2) involuntary assessment, and (3) unsolicited touch. In all interactions the aggressive behaviour could be understood as a struggle for recognition.ConclusionsAggression is more likely to arise in situations where the patients’ needs or personal borders are invalidated. The struggle for personal recognition during the interaction between patient and health professionals should be addressed in health professionals’ education. This knowledge might increase their awareness and help them to react in a more expedient manner.

Women (n = 87) at women's shelters in Norway, a country of high welfare and gender equality, reported a multitude of severe threats and actual acts of physical, sexual and psychological violence. An individual threatening to kill his partner represented a significant increased risk for experiencing serious acts of violence, especially when the threats were repeated. A self-administered questionnaire was sent to all the women's shelters. Experiences of violence were measured by The Severity of Violence against Women Scale (SVAWS) and the Psychological Maltreatment of Women Index (PMWI).

Night work has been associated with adverse effects in terms of reproductive health. Specifically, menstruation has been suggested to be negatively impacted by night work, which again may influence fertility. This study investigated whether working nights is related to menstrual characteristics and if there is a relationship between shift work disorder (SWD) and menstruation. The study was cross-sectional, response rate 38%. The sample comprised female nurses who were members of the Norwegian Nurses Association; below 50 yr of age, who were not pregnant, did not use hormonal pills or intrauterine devices and who had not reached menopause (n=766). The nurses answered a postal survey including questions about night work and menstrual characteristics. Fifteen per cent reported to have irregular menstruations. Thirty-nine per cent of the nurses were classified as having SWD. Logistic regression analyses concerning the relationship between irregular menstruations and night work did not show any associations. Furthermore, no associations were found between cycle length or bleeding period and night work parameters. No associations were found between menstrual characteristics and SWD.