Violence and aggression towards Doctors in Pakistan: a nationwide survey
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Introduction
Although workplace violence impacts nearly all sectors, it is especially prevalent in healthcare settings, raising serious concerns for public health and occupational safety. Workers in healthcare and social services face the highest rates of violence-related injuries, being five times more likely to be injured compared to those in other industries. Furthermore, incidents of violence in the health sector are estimated to represent approximately 25% of all workplace violence occurrences
Objective
The main aim of this study is to examine the frequency of exposure of doctors to violence and aggression at work, and the contributing factors thereon, as well as the effects of violence on doctors.
Method
This study has been conducted in multiple hospitals in Pakistan’s five provinces (Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Baluchistan, and Gilgit Baltistan), the Capital (Islamabad), and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The questionnaire prepared by the researchers was filled in through face-to-face meetings by 1003 healthcare professionals who agreed to take part in the study. The resulting data has been assessed and evaluated using the SPSS V27 package program.
Results
77.6% of the respondents reported that they had been exposed to violence in the last 10 months. Among the reported events, the most common form was verbal violence at 70.7%. The most common perpetrators of these cases were attendants of the patients in 87% of the cases. As an impact of these cases, 87.7% of the respondents felt emotional distress due to violent incidents. In addition, 6.3% reported physical injury, and 6.0% considered leaving their jobs. A statistically significant difference in the frequency of exposure to violence has been detected between age, gender, seniority, and province. The major contributing factors towards violence included lack of communication and lack of facilities along with lack of patient care.
Conclusion
Violence and aggression are one of the major issues of healthcare workplaces in Pakistan. Therefore, there is a dire need to improve working conditions, build effective communication, and improve security standards to create safe workplaces for healthcare professionals
What We Already Know
Workplace violence in healthcare is a recognized global concern, with healthcare workers being at a higher risk compared to other professions.
Verbal abuse is the most common form of workplace violence encountered by doctors and nurses, particularly in developing countries like Pakistan.
Factor contributing to violence in hospitals include lack of communication, inadequate facilities, and unrealistic patient expectations.
Previous studies in Pakistan have generally been limited in scope—focused on specific cities, hospitals, or types of healthcare professionals—resulting in incomplete national data.
What This Article Adds
This study is among the first to provide comprehensive nationwide data on workplace violence against doctors in both public and private healthcare settings in Pakistan, including previously underrepresented region like Baluchistan and Gilgit Baltistan.
It identifies specific demographic risk factors (e.g., younger age, early career stage, region, and shift timing) associated with higher incidences of violence.
The research uncovers that a majority of perpetrators are patient attendants, emphasizing the need for targeted awareness and security interventions.
It highlights that 67.8% of doctors feel unsafe at work, with 87.7% of doctor reporting distress and 6% considering leaving job, offering critical evidence for policy changes and safety protocol implementation across healthcare institutions.
