A. BERTI, C. MABERINO - Vol. 10, March 2004, Issue 1
Testo Immagini Bibliografia Summary Indice
La psichiatria e il rischio professionale:
analisi predittive delle aggressioni
Psychiatry and occupational hazard: predictive analysis of aggressions
Objectives
Aggressivity has been a fundamental element of human beings since the naissance and in a normal development it is processed and channelled elsewhere. But aggressiveness can not always remain a sublimate instinct, sometimes it is acted and becomes more or less understandable. The authors present the results of a survey performed by distributing a questionnaire to psychiatric operators directed to describe any aggression suffered from the patients.
Methods
In April 2003, 200 questionnaires were distributed to psychiatrists, psychologists and psychiatric nurses in the city of Genoa. The questionnaire investigated on the number and severity of aggressions suffered by mental health professionals from patients.
Results
Of the 95/200 questionnaires returned (47.5%), 68 (71.5%) reported one or more episodes of aggression suffered by psychiatric staff members from patients. These were more frequently reported by male rather than female professionals. Verbal aggression was reported in 22.05% of the questionnaires, whereas 3 cases of physical aggressions resulted in severe lesion for the victims of the assaults.
Conclusions
Considerations on these data confirm the need to prevent this risk of occupational hazard for mental health professionals. Violent acts and their consequences are often caused by incompetence and negligence. Prevention of aggressions from patients to members of the psychiatric staff should be prevented. Adequate training on these topics should be provided in the medical schools.