Violence against general practitioners in Turkey

J Interpers Violence. 2009 Dec;24(12):1980-95. doi: 10.1177/0886260508327703. Epub 2009 Jan 15.

Abstract

We aimed to determine the violence against general practitioners (GPs) through their suggestions on its cause and prevention. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study based on self-administered questionnaire answered by a convenience study population consisting of 522 GPs between November and December 2006. Of the participating GPs, 82.8% reported that they experienced violence. They reported 1,020 events, and verbal form was the most common form (89.3%). Verbal and sexual violence were seen more frequently among women, whereas physical and economic violence were more frequent with men. Perpetrators were patients and/or their relatives in 91.1% of the events. However, they were colleagues and superiors in 67.9% of the economic and sexual violence events. Violence against GPs warrants more attention. For its prevention, there is a need of continuous professional, administrative, and legal support from the government along with systematic, coordinated implementations independent from daily political concerns.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Causality
  • Crime Victims / statistics & numerical data*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Data Collection
  • Developing Countries / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Physicians, Family / statistics & numerical data*
  • Sex Factors
  • Sex Offenses / ethnology
  • Sex Offenses / statistics & numerical data
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Turkey
  • Violence / ethnology*
  • Violence / prevention & control
  • Violence / statistics & numerical data*
  • Workplace