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A QUARTER OF DOCTORS SUFFER VIOLENCE
Kevin Reardon / 2010-07-30 15:51:53
Almost one in every four doctors practicing in Andalucia has been subjected to personal abuse or physical violence whilst treating a patient. The results were made public in a survey carried out by the Andalusian Medical Association which was filed last week in Malaga.
The study was conducted on a total of 56 doctors belonging to medical centres in Andalusia. It was conducted purely as a pilot investigation from which the group intended to show that their results were purely "the tip of the iceberg."
"We have always been aware of the problem which has been around for a very long time, but we have many difficulties accounting for cases involving our staff ," said the President of the Andalusian Council of Medical Colleges, Juan José Sánchez Luque. He said that a much more comprehensive study would be carried out in the near future .
The survey included questions about the work environment, collating information on violence to medical professionals in all aspects of healthcare. Results show that over 82 % of doctors consider there is a major problem in Andalucia of abuse or violence to medical staff by a patient or a family member and that 58.6% had actually witnessed such an incident
Despite the high figure, the report also says that 41.7% of those affected took no action following the abuse. "Unfortunately many doctors consider abuse as commonplace. This dynamic has to change,” Luque Sanchez said.
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