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Physical Workplace Violence Experiences and Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Workers in Public Hospitals in Rivers State, Nigeria

E. I. Achalu, & C. M. P. Igonikon

Abstract

This study investigated physical workplace violence experiences and socio-demographic characteristics of workers in public hospitals in Rivers State. The research design adopted was a descriptive research design. The population for the study consisted of 3,000 health care workers in public hospitals in Rivers State. The sample size for the study was 495 which was selected using the multi-stage sampling procedure. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.74. The data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, percentage, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The result of the study revealed that, physical (2.05±1.00) workplace violence was experienced to a high extent. The physical violence experienced were kicking (2.17±1.04), pinching (2.16±0.99), injury (2.14±1.11), forcefully pushed (2.12±1.02), and beating (2.11±1.04) while the psychological violence experienced included: intimidation (2.44±0.84), verbal warning (2.39±0.95), humiliation (2.33±0.95), abusive words (2.25±1.04), discrimination (2.24±0.94), and threatened harm (2.05±0.98). Also, there was a significant difference in the experiences of physical violence based on department at work (p<0.05). Thus, it was recommended that, the government should provide adequate security by assigning security personnel to the public hospitals as, this may deter the perpetrators from orchestrating any violence act against the health care workers.

Keywords

DemographicExperiencesPhysicalViolenceWorkers

References

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