Mehmet Ali İÇBAY
Journal of International Health Sciences and Management - 2025;11(22):93-104
This study analyzes the historical trajectory of workplace violence against physicians in the Turkish healthcare system, using mixed-methods content analysis of 286 incidents drawn from 16,440 pages of newspaper archives between 1998 and 2023. Quantitative findings show that violence was most frequently reported in emergency departments (34.3%) and primary care units (13.6%), with the majority of incidents occurring during regular working hours (68.5%). Male physicians accounted for 72% of victims, while male patient relatives were identified as the primary perpetrators in nearly 60% of cases. Physical violence constituted the majority of incidents (93.7%), including assaults involving knives (10.5%) and firearms (6.0%). Qualitative analysis revealed systemic triggers such as overcrowding, inefficient scheduling, and governance failures, alongside interpersonal dynamics and cultural norms that normalize violence. The findings highlight critical management implications, including safety and security inadequacies, the impact of healthcare policy shortcomings, gender disparities in violence experiences, and internal organizational tensions. The study proposes targeted interventions-such as leadership-driven cultural change, institutional policy reforms, enhanced communication training, and integrated security strategies-to ensure safer and more effective healthcare delivery.
