Aim:
We investigated the public’s view of increasing violence in the healthcare sector, their opinions on violence, the underlying causes of violence, and the possible ways of preventing violence.
Materials and Methods:
This study was conducted between November 2012 and February 2013 in central Gaziantep, Turkey. We conducted a face-to-face survey with 1600 respondents who closely resembled the general structure of the population.
Results:
The most common causes underlying violent behavior were failure of the healthcare staff to perform their tasks properly (15.9%) and prolonged waiting times (15%). In total, 20.3% of the respondents considered violence as a method of securing rights. The issue that disturbed the respondents most (28%) was being unable to find someone who would listen to them, whereas 13.3% believed that the doctor should be beaten or killed when a patient died.
Conclusion:
A large proportion of those surveyed viewed violence toward healthcare professionals as a method of securing rights. (JAEM 2015; 14: 19-25)
Keywords: Healthcare staff, violence, public’s view, media, education