Introduction: Healthcare workers are particularly vulnerable to third-party workplace violence. The experience of work-related stress, by threatening the psychological balance of healthcare workers, making them less effective in managing the relationship with patients and their family members, may significantly contribute to third-party violence. Objective: To investigate whether stress-related psychosocial situations at work as defined by the widely known Demand-Control model, and the level of work-related social support, act as risk factors for third-party violence among healthcare workers. Specifically, we explored whether the risk of violence is higher in situations associated with higher levels of work-related stress (i.e., active or passive situations, and especially the high strain situation) when compared to a work situation related to lower levels of stress (i.e., low strain situation). We also explored whether the risk of violence is lower at higher levels of social support. Method: Cross-sectional study on 633 healthcare workers. Psychosocial work situations and third-party workplace violence have been operationalized by using well validated scales. Results: Logistic regressions including a number of relevant covariates (e.g., gender, job role, night shift work) revealed that, compared to a low strain situation, an active or passive situation had an increased risk for workplace violence. However, the highest risk was observed for a high strain situation (i.e., the situation associated with the highest level of work-related stress). High social support acted as a protective factor. Conclusion: Healthcare workers’ experience of stress at work may make them more vulnerable to third-party violence. Ensuring better psychosocial working conditions may contribute to the prevention of workplace violence and its consequences.

Introduzione: I lavoratori del settore sanitario sono particolarmente a rischio di subire violenza da parte di soggetti esterni all’organizzazione, in particolare pazienti e loro famigliari. Lo stress da lavoro, minacciando l’equilibrio psicologico dei lavoratori sanitari e rendendoli meno efficaci nel gestire la relazione con i pazienti e i loro famigliari, può agire da fattore di rischio. Obiettivi: Indagare se le situazioni psicosociali definite dal modello Domanda-Controllo e dal grado di supporto sociale ricevuto al lavoro – situazioni che alimentano lo stress da lavoro – agiscono da fattori di rischio per la violenza subita dai lavoratori sanitari da parte di pazienti e loro famigliari. Più nello specifico abbiamo esplorato se situazioni ‘attive’ o ‘passive’ e in particolare ad ‘alto strain’ fungono da fattori di rischio rispetto a situazioni a ‘basso strain’. Abbiamo anche esplorato il rischio associato a minori risorse di supporto sociale al lavoro. Metodi: Studio trasversale su 633 lavoratori del settore socio-sanitario appartenenti a diverse strutture del centro e nord-Italia. Risultati: Le regressioni logistiche, che includevano covariate rilevanti, hanno evidenziato che, rispetto a situazioni a basso strain, una situazione attiva o passiva era associata ad un rischio più elevato di violenza. Il rischio maggiore di violenza era tuttavia associato, così come ipotizzato, alle situazioni ad alto strain. Il supporto sociale agiva da fattore protettivo. Conclusione: Lo stress da lavoro può rendere i lavoratori del settore sanitario più vulnerabili alla violenza dai pazienti e dai loro famigliari. Assicurare buone condizioni psicosociali di lavoro può contribuire alla prevenzione della violenza e delle sue conseguenze.

Balducci Cristian, Vignoli Michela, Dalla Rosa Gloria, Consiglio Chiara (2020). High strain and low social support at work as risk factors for being the target of third-party workplace violence among healthcare sector workers Alto strain e basso supporto sociale come fattori di rischio per la violenza da parte di pazienti e famigliari tra i lavoratori del settore sanitario. LA MEDICINA DEL LAVORO, 111(5), 388-398 [10.23749/mdl.v111i5.9910].

High strain and low social support at work as risk factors for being the target of third-party workplace violence among healthcare sector workers Alto strain e basso supporto sociale come fattori di rischio per la violenza da parte di pazienti e famigliari tra i lavoratori del settore sanitario

Balducci Cristian
;
Vignoli Michela;Dalla Rosa Gloria;
2020

Abstract

Introduction: Healthcare workers are particularly vulnerable to third-party workplace violence. The experience of work-related stress, by threatening the psychological balance of healthcare workers, making them less effective in managing the relationship with patients and their family members, may significantly contribute to third-party violence. Objective: To investigate whether stress-related psychosocial situations at work as defined by the widely known Demand-Control model, and the level of work-related social support, act as risk factors for third-party violence among healthcare workers. Specifically, we explored whether the risk of violence is higher in situations associated with higher levels of work-related stress (i.e., active or passive situations, and especially the high strain situation) when compared to a work situation related to lower levels of stress (i.e., low strain situation). We also explored whether the risk of violence is lower at higher levels of social support. Method: Cross-sectional study on 633 healthcare workers. Psychosocial work situations and third-party workplace violence have been operationalized by using well validated scales. Results: Logistic regressions including a number of relevant covariates (e.g., gender, job role, night shift work) revealed that, compared to a low strain situation, an active or passive situation had an increased risk for workplace violence. However, the highest risk was observed for a high strain situation (i.e., the situation associated with the highest level of work-related stress). High social support acted as a protective factor. Conclusion: Healthcare workers’ experience of stress at work may make them more vulnerable to third-party violence. Ensuring better psychosocial working conditions may contribute to the prevention of workplace violence and its consequences.
2020
Balducci Cristian, Vignoli Michela, Dalla Rosa Gloria, Consiglio Chiara (2020). High strain and low social support at work as risk factors for being the target of third-party workplace violence among healthcare sector workers Alto strain e basso supporto sociale come fattori di rischio per la violenza da parte di pazienti e famigliari tra i lavoratori del settore sanitario. LA MEDICINA DEL LAVORO, 111(5), 388-398 [10.23749/mdl.v111i5.9910].
Balducci Cristian; Vignoli Michela; Dalla Rosa Gloria; Consiglio Chiara;
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11585/802306
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