Public reactions and measures reflected in the media in response to aggression against healthcare workers
Keywords:
aggression, violence, healthcare workers, public media, reactionsAbstract
Acts of aggression against healthcare workers cause frequent public discussions and debates searching for effective actions and measures to prevent this problem and protect individuals. The purpose of the report is to summarize the public reactions and measures taken against the acts of aggression towards healthcare workers published in the official media. Materials and Methods: The review covered published reports of public reactions to cases of aggression against healthcare workers in 5 official websites over a 10-year period. Results and Discussion: During the period, there was a tendency to increase the number of public reactions to cases of violence, which during the pandemic significantly decreased. Public reactions are available mainly from the professional organizations, as well as from the Ministry of Health. The measures taken to counteract the problem are regulatory, technical, organizational and informational. Examples of such measures are increasing the severity of penalties for aggressive people, the possibility of refusing to provide medical care under certain circumstances, the introduction of panic buttons in medical facilities, video surveillance, etc. Conclusion: Actions to address the problem should involve the participation of various institutions and organizations in health care. It is necessary to develop more effective measures for the prevention of violence against healthcare workers and to form a public culture of respect.
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