Frequency and Disparity of Violence Against Healthcare Workers in Public and Private Sector Hospitals in Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction

Violence toward the healthcare workforce is on the rise, impacting the quality of care provided. This study aims to assess the frequency of violence against healthcare workers (HCWs) and determine any existing disparities between private and public settings.

Methods

A cross-sectional study design was used. Data were collected from April 1, 2022, to November 30, 2022, through a structured online questionnaire, adapted from a self-reported structured questionnaire. The survey was circulated via social media platforms among HCWs in both public and private tertiary care hospitals in Pakistan. A total of 365 participants completed the survey.

Results

The frequency of violence among respondent HCWs was 38.36%. The frequency of violence was higher in public sector hospitals compared to private sector hospitals (54.03% in public vs. 30.29% in private). Incidents of physical violence were reported by 12.10% of public versus 5.39% of private sector respondents. Verbal abuse was reported by 36.29% of public vs. 21.16% of private sector respondents. Racial harassment was experienced by 12.90% of public and 9.54% of private sector respondents, while sexual harassment was reported by 11.29% of public versus 6.22% of private sector respondents.

Conclusion

A higher frequency of violence was observed in public hospitals compared to private sector hospitals, across all types of violence. These findings highlight the need for increased awareness among HCWs about existing policies on reporting workplace violence and the importance of utilizing these policies to ensure protection for all HCWs in both public and private tertiary care hospitals.