RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Association between high burn-out and workplace violence among healthcare workers in China: a WeChat-based survey
JF BMJ Open
JO BMJ Open
FD British Medical Journal Publishing Group
SP e064729
DO 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064729
VO 12
IS 11
A1 Chen, Zengyu
A1 Peng, Kexin
A1 Liu, Xiaopei
A1 Yang, Jiaxin
A1 Long, Liuxin
A1 Liu, Yiting
A1 Li, Yamin
A1 Tian, Yusheng
YR 2022
UL http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/11/e064729.abstract
AB Objectives This study is conducted to examine whether overall workplace violence (WPV) and its five types are associated with high burn-out among healthcare workers in China.Design A WeChat-based cross-sectional survey. Snowball sampling was used in this study.Participants Front-line healthcare workers (N=3706) from 149 cities across 23 provinces in China responded to the survey, and 22 questionnaires were excluded because of incomplete data.Primary and secondary outcome measures (1) The Chinese Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey was used to measure high burn-out. (2) WPV was assessed using the Chinese version of the Workplace Violence Scale. (3) An anonymous self-designed web-based questionnaire consisting of demographic, behavioural and occupational information was used to identify covariates.Results A total of 3684 front-line healthcare workers (934 physicians and 2750 nurses) were included. Of all participants, 13.3% (491/3193) experienced high burn-out. Adjusted logistic regression revealed that experience of WPV in the past year was associated with high burn-out (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.69 to 2.62). Healthcare workers who had suffered emotional abuse, threat or verbal sexual harassment were more vulnerable to high burn-out.Conclusion This study finds that healthcare workers with WPV, especially emotional abuse, threat and verbal sexual harassment, are more likely to experience burn-out. These types of WPV should be considered in interventions to reduce and prevent burn-out for healthcare workers.Data are available on reasonable request. The datasets used and analysed during the current study are not publicly available but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. Authors only permit the reuse of the data in meta-analysis or other second analyses.