Violencia laboral hacia los profesionales sanitarios en España

Aggression towards health professionals is a phenomenon in Spain. Several studies were prepared to determine the scope and risk factors but the incidence, actors and factors involved in aggression towards healthcare professionals is unknown. The aim of this manuscript is to know the extent of aggression towards Spanish professionals. A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and CINAHL PSYCINFO and institutional websites of occupational medicine and occupational health was performed. Studies published from 1990 to present that discussed workplace violence in health professionals were included. Variables were the number of violent incidents, language of publication, design, resources and services studied, type of professional, territory, instruments, characteristics of the perpetrator, types and causes of aggression. We classified and analyzed this information. Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria. The Spanish language (75%) and descriptive designs with ad hoc (81.25%) instruments are the most studied variables; offender characteristics, predisposition and organizational factors were the least studied variables. Although the investigation makes it difficult to compare data due to methodological variability, workplace violence to health professionals is an existing phenomenon.