Rethinking Violence in Healthcare

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines violence as the deliberate use of physical force or power, whether actual or threatened, against oneself, another person, or a group or community, with the intent to cause or greatly increase the risk of causing harm, injury, death, psychological distress, maldevelopment, or deprivation.

Both people giving and receiving care can feel vulnerable in our healthcare settings. Individuals with varying risk profiles are those who belong to distinct sociodemographic categories. For example, being a young woman from a marginalized social group may make you more likely to experience violence.

In healthcare settings, patients from low-income families who do not have many options for care are sometimes treated violently in addition to unfairly. Patients in mental health facilities lose their rights and dignity. In overcrowded hospitals, violence against the elderly is not unusual. The doctors that make up the majority of the medical staff are wealthy males from higher castes who go to urban private multispecialty hospitals for treatment since there is less risk of violence there.

Instances of violence against patients by staff members and other individuals in healthcare settings also occur. For example, regardless of the role that males play in hospital settings, women patients and healthcare personnel nearly exclusively experience sexual violence from men.

Because of inadequate security, healthcare professionals lower on the power scale—such as ASHA employees, midwives, and ambulance drivers—may be more vulnerable to assault. Due to their heavy workload, extended shifts, lack of authority, and toxic work environments, resident physicians and young trainees are more vulnerable to emotional and physical abuse from patient attendants and their superiors.

The International Humanitarian Law mandates the protection of health establishments, healthcare personnel, and the wounded and sick, in case of any violence.

Many countries acknowledge that violence can affect healthcare providers in any way. Taiwan passed laws in 2017 to safeguard patient rights and the interests of all healthcare professionals. Hospital administrators must identify high-risk conflict locations, like the emergency room, and maintain tight security in order to receive accreditation. A primary duty of medical facilities is to ensure the safety of their patients.

Any form of violence that is not productive should not be tolerated. While resolving social issues should be the ultimate aim, everyone should be protected in the healthcare sector through the effective creation and application of laws and rules.