La violence envers le personnel de santé dans les établissements publique hospitalier de la wilaya de Laghouat au cours des douze derniers mois (2023_2024)

Abstract

Introduction: Violence against medical personnel is an international phenomenon that spares no country. It is defined by the intentional use of physical force, threats against others or oneself, or against a group or community, which results or is likely to result in trauma, psychological harm, developmental issues, or death. Method: This study is an epidemiological, descriptive, and retrospective and prospective survey on violence against healthcare workers in the Laghouat province over the last six months, from June 21, 2023, to December 21, 2024, within the province's establishment. We recorded and studied 100 cases. A total of 123 questionnaires were sent out, and 100 victims responded. The data were entered and analyzed using software. Results: The number of violence cases in the Laghouat hospital was 834, with 65% (551) involving men and 35% (283) involving women during the period from June to December 2023. The most affected age group was between 20 and 30 years old, representing 56% of the victims, with a female predominance of 62% and less than 10 years of experience accounting for 71% of cases. Our study's results highlight a concerning trend: healthcare personnel, particularly general practitioners and nurses, with percentages of 27% and 40%, respectively. A significant prevalence of verbal violence was observed, with 88% of participants reporting such incidents over the past twelve months. Conclusion : Despite some limitations, such as the unavailability of some respondents, the sample size of this study allowed us to observe a prevalence of violence against healthcare workers at 71%. To conclude this modest work, we believe that not everything has been said on this subject, which deserves a more in-depth study with other specialist partners to identify the factors promoting this phenomenon that continues to progress in our hospitals.