Abstract
BackgroundHealthcare providers face enormous threats to personal safety from workplace violence (WPV). Prior investigations estimate a highly varied prevalence of WPV in the United States and around the world, including both verbal and physical assault. Little is known about WPV in Myanmar. Only a single prior study has evaluated WPV experiences among physicians in Myanmar, reporting an unusually low prevalence of verbal (8.7%) and physical (1.0%) assault. Given this much lower prevalence compared with similar studies in other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), we embarked on a study to identify the prevalence of WPV in a separate cohort of healthcare providers in Myanmar.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional analysis of WPV prevalence among healthcare providers who attended a national emergency medicine conference in Myanmar in November 2018. The survey instrument was adapted from a validated survey from the Joint Program on Workplace Violence in the Healthcare Sector (International Labour Office, International Council of Nurses, World Health Organization, and Public Services International), which had been used in other global settings.ResultsSixty-three participants completed the survey questionnaire, including 35 women (55.6%) and 26 men (41.3%). Among them, 25 (39.7%) were primary care providers. Overall, the combined prevalence of WPV in the previous 12 months was found to be 47.6% (n = 30; 95% CI: 34.9-60.6%). The prevalence of verbal assault was 47.6% (n = 30; 95% CI: 34.9-60.6%), and that of physical assault was 4.8% (n = 3; 95% CI: 1.0-13.3%). Twenty-four participants (42.4%) reported that they were encouraged to report violence in the workplace, and five (8.1%) reported they had received training on how to manage WPV. Respondents who were 30-34 years in age and those working in private facilities were significantly less likely to report WPV on univariate analysis.ConclusionAlthough our cohort comprised a limited sample of a select group of providers, we found a dramatically higher prevalence of WPV experiences among healthcare providers attending an emergency medicine conference in Myanmar when compared with a prior investigation. Very few participants had received training on WPV, and less than half reported a work culture where WPV reporting is encouraged. To combat healthcare provider shortages, more investigation is required into WPV to understand its impact and identify amelioration strategies.
Highlights
Workplace violence (WPV) is a threat to healthcare workers globally
The prevalence of verbal assault was 47.6% (n = 30; 95% CI: 34.9-60.6%), and that of physical assault was 4.8% (n = 3; 95% CI: 1.0-13.3%)
Our cohort comprised a limited sample of a select group of providers, we found a dramatically higher prevalence of workplace violence (WPV) experiences among healthcare providers attending an emergency medicine conference in Myanmar when compared with a prior investigation
Summary
Whether in the form of verbal assault, physical assault, or a perceived threat of violence, WPV is a growing challenge faced by medical professionals around the world [1]. These experiences have been shown to decrease worker morale and productivity, which can lead to increased absenteeism, burnout, and attrition [2,3,4]. One prior study had reported WPV experiences among physicians in Myanmar, and it had revealed very low rates of both verbal assault (8.7%) and physical assault (1.0%) in. A single prior study has evaluated WPV experiences among physicians in Myanmar, reporting an unusually low prevalence of verbal (8.7%) and physical (1.0%) assault. Given this much lower prevalence compared with similar studies in other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), we embarked on a study to identify the prevalence of WPV in a separate cohort of healthcare providers in Myanmar
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