Violence Against Mental Health Staff in Nigeria: Some Lessons from Two Mental Hospitals

Ukpong, DI; Abasiubong, Festus; Ekpo, AU; Udofia, Owoidoho; Owoeye, Olugbenga A.

doi:10.4314/njpsyc.v9i2.69912

Cited by 4 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…2018; Ukpong et al . 2011). The nature of physical and non‐physical violent assaults discovered such as hitting with an object, name calling, sexual harassment, spitting on, smashing with food and strangling, builds on, and complements previous studies within mental health care context (d'Ettorre & Pellicani 2017; McKinnon & Cross 2008; Olashore et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measures and narratives of the nature, causes and consequences of violent assaults and risk perception of psychiatric hospitals in Ghana: Mental Health workers’ perspectives

Atinga

Yarney

Mort

et al. 2021

Int J Mental Health Nurs

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Literature shows that mental healthcare workers in Ghana face incessant fear of patient violence that compromise safe care delivery. However, the nature, scale, perceived causes, and consequences of these assaults and how they shape risk perceptions have received limited empirical attention, hence the need for this study. The study employed sequential explanatory mixed methods where questionnaire administration preceded and informed the design of an interview guide used for in‐depth interviews with health workers in referral psychiatric hospitals. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regressions were used to analyze the quantitative data. Qualitative data were transcribed and analyzed thematically. Findings showed that physical and non‐physical violent assaults and risk perceptions of the hospitals were statistically and significantly associated with females (P < 0.01), nurses (P < 0.01), other clinical cadre (P < 0.01), and those with low job tenure (P < 0.05). About 57% and 71% of the sample reported experiencing physical and non‐physical assaults, respectively. Major and minor injuries and psychosocial problems were frequent sequelae following physical violent assaults. As a result, 80% of the participants perceived the hospitals environment to be unsafe to provide care. Violent assaults compromises safety and care delivery efforts suggesting the need for systematic interventions to minimize mental healthcare workers exposure to patient violence.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measures and narratives of the nature, causes and consequences of violent assaults and risk perception of psychiatric hospitals in Ghana: Mental Health workers’ perspectives

Atinga

Yarney

Mort

et al. 2021

Int J Mental Health Nurs

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“…This finding is consistent with that reported in other studies. 8,12,15 Among clinical staff, nurses followed by physicians experienced the highest rate of violence. 15 Staff members who spend most time with patients are at greatest risk of experiencing an assault.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…6,7 However, other studies reported that assaults were more common at nursing station than emergency unit. 12,13 It may be because emergency staff are more proficient in handling and avoiding assault, or patients spend less time in the emergency section thereby reducing the risk of assaults by patients. Physical assaults in clinics were uncommon because out-patients are typically more stable.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In accordance with previously reported studies of a similar nature, physical violence was defined as any act of physical aggression during which the patient deliberately and forcefully hits a caregiver with any part of his or her body or with an object, thereby inflicting pain and or injury to the victim. 12,14 This includes the patient vigorously shaking, kicking, pushing around, biting, strangle-holding with resultant pain, reddening, indurations or bruising of the skin, or attempting to or actually raping the victim with evident damage to the clothing or apparel; threats or verbal aggression were not included. 12,14 Mental health professionals (consultant psychiatrists, residents in psychiatry, psychiatric nurses, clinical psychologists, social workers, and occupational therapists) in the hospital were recruited to complete a questionnaire to record the socio-demographics (marital status, years of practice/experience, duration of practice in the hospital, job satisfaction) and history of physical violence, the context or circumstance in which it occurred, the type and the consequences, such as physical injuries, psychological distress, and means of support.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…10,11 In Nigeria, few surveys of physical assaults against mental health staff have been conducted. 12,13 A study carried out in a psychiatric hospital in Lagos, South-South Nigeria, revealed that assault of mental health staff by patients is widespread. 13 About half of the staff had experienced physical assault at least once within the period of their employment in the hospital; and 33.7% had been physically assaulted during the last 12 months before the study.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Prevalence, Factors, and Outcome of Physical Violence against Mental Health Professionals at a Nigerian Psychiatric Hospital

Akanni

Osundina

Olotu

et al. 2019

East Asian Arch Psychiatry

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Objectives: This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence, factors, and consequences of physical violence by mentally ill patients against mental health professionals. Methods: 124 of 145 mental health professionals at a Nigerian neuropsychiatric hospital satisfactorily completed a questionnaire on their experiences with physical assault. Results: 77 (62.1%) staff had been assaulted during their whole career; 38 (30.6%) of them were assaulted in the past 12 months. The most common type of assault was pushing (32.9%). The most common antecedent event to assault was calming an aggressive patient (44.1%). In their whole career, 22.1% of assaulted staff sustained injuries that required medical attention; 42.4% of assaulted staff sometimes or frequently/always experienced posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Physical assault in the whole career was associated with older age (p = 0.04), longer years of practice (p = 0.01), and job dissatisfaction (p = 0.05). Conclusions: Physical violence encountered by mental health professionals at a Nigerian neuropsychiatric hospital is substantial. Policy review of staff safety, training, and support is recommended.

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Physical violence against health staff by mentally ill patients at a psychiatric hospital in Botswana

Olashore

Akanni

Ogundipe

2018

BMC Health Serv Res

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BackgroundWorkplace violence is worrisome in the mental health sector. Little is understood about it in sub-Saharan Africa. Consequently, we decided to investigate the prevalence, related factors, and the available sources of support for the victims of workplace violence in a mental referral hospital in Botswana.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional retrospective survey of 201 mental health staff (MHS) of Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital, Botswana. We used a self-administered questionnaire to obtain information on socio-demographics and various aspects of work-related violence and available source of supports. We also used Andrew and Withey Job Satisfaction Questionnaire to assess the workers’ level of job satisfaction.ResultsOne hundred and seventy-nine questionnaires out of the two hundred and one returned were analyzed. One hundred and twenty-five (69.8%) of the respondents reported a lifetime experience of physical violence, while 44.1% experienced the same during the previous 12 months. Nursing services (χ2 = 29.95, p < 0.01) and long duration of service (χ2 = 29.95, p < 0.01) were associated with lifetime encounter of physical violence. Those who reported a physical assault had a higher level of job dissatisfaction than staff who never experienced violence (t = − 3.07, p = 0.02).ConclusionsThe rate of physical violence among mental health workers in Botswana is comparably high, and nurses are the most exposed members of staff. Protocol development and periodic training on violence prevention are hence recommended, especially for the most exposed members of staff.

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Violence Against Mental Health Staff in Nigeria: Some Lessons from Two Mental Hospitals

Cited by 4 publications

References 17 publications

Measures and narratives of the nature, causes and consequences of violent assaults and risk perception of psychiatric hospitals in Ghana: Mental Health workers’ perspectives

Measures and narratives of the nature, causes and consequences of violent assaults and risk perception of psychiatric hospitals in Ghana: Mental Health workers’ perspectives

Prevalence, Factors, and Outcome of Physical Violence against Mental Health Professionals at a Nigerian Psychiatric Hospital

Physical violence against health staff by mentally ill patients at a psychiatric hospital in Botswana

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