Agresiones hacia el personal sanitario en España: violencias invisibilizadas, silencios inaceptables

Abstract

The aggressions suffered by healthcare personnel (HCP) is a growing problem in the field of public health in Spain that negatively affects the quality of care. The objective is to analyze the causes of the aggressions towards the HCP and what implications they have for the healthcare service and its personnel. The methodology is based on a systematic review in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Medes.

The triggers of the aggressions are multifactorial and can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder in the HCP. The most affected services are primary care, emergency care, emergencies, and psychiatry. Women are the most assaulted, while men are responsible for most of the assaults. Although professional associations, autonomous communities and the Ministry of Health and Social Services are making efforts to prevent the problem, it continues to be invisible due to the under-reporting of complaints, the lack of academic research and society in general.