Ozden GUDUK
The Atlantic Journal of Medical Science and Research - 2026;6(2):112-120
Aim: This study examines the prevalence and types of violence healthcare workers experience, analyzing their distribution by demographic and occupational variables. It also assesses perceptions of safety, confidence, burnout levels, and the relationship between safety, confidence and burnout, considering exposure to violence as a moderating factor. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study surveyed healthcare workers in direct patient contact at two public hospitals in Istanbul. A total of 410 volunteers participated, recruited through convenience sampling. Data collection tools included a sociodemographic form, questions about experiences of violence, the Health Professionals' Safety and Confidence Scale Against Violence, and the Burnout Scale-Short Form. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 and Jamovi 2.6.22 software. Analyses included descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, Spearman correlation analysis, and regression-based moderator analyses using the bootstrap method (p<0.05). Results: The mean participant age was 29.8+/-7.31 years; 74.4% were female. Of the participants, 34.6% had experienced violence at least once during their working life. Verbal violence was the most frequently reported type. No significant difference was found between overall violence experience and sociodemographic variables. However, bullying-type violence was more common among women, college graduates, nurses/midwives/emergency medical technicians, and operating room staff (p<0.05). Higher perceived safety-confidence was linked to lower burnout (unstandardized b=-0.12; p=0.03). Exposure to violence was positively associated with burnout and moderated the relationship between perceived safety and confidence and burnout, reducing the buffering role of perceived safety and confidence (p=0.047). Conclusion: Workplace violence among healthcare workers is associated with higher burnout. Perceived safety and confidence mitigate burnout, but this effect is weaker for those previously exposed to violence. Strengthening institutional security, organizational support, and providing psychological support for affected employees are critical to reducing burnout and promoting a safer work environment.
