In emergency rooms etc.

Italy’s healthcare staff complain of attacks

The majority of Italian healthcare staff complain that they have been physically or verbally attacked at least once (symbolic image).

(Bild: Kzenon/Stock-Adobe)

81 percent of healthcare staff in Italy complain that they have been physically or verbally attacked at least once. Emergency room and psychiatric ward staff are particularly affected. The aggression comes from patients and their relatives.

This is the result of a new survey conducted by the doctors' union Anaao Assomed, in which doctors from all specialties took part. According to them, long waiting times, overcrowding, bed and staff shortages contribute to fuelling aggressive behavior. In around half of the cases (51.3 percent), the verbal or physical attacks originate from the patient, while relatives are still responsible for 42.3 percent of incidents.

Police are called in every fourth case
The police were called in around one in four cases (26%). The majority (73%) reported having dealt with the violence alone or with the help of colleagues. The majority of healthcare staff (69%) did not report the attackers.

Above all, those affected give up because they shy away from the emotional and time-consuming burden of reporting a crime, which would confront them with legal costs, court hearings and possibly further threats from the attacker.

Italienische Gewerkschaft

This is a sign of the widespread mistrust that legal action could lead to concrete results, the union said. "Above all, those affected give up because they shy away from the emotional and time-consuming burden of filing a complaint, which would confront them with legal costs, court hearings and possibly further threats from the attacker."

"Reports just the tip of the iceberg"
The reports in the headlines are only the most dramatic and "only represent the tip of the iceberg of a worrying, widespread and constant situation of aggression (..)", said the union. This creates a climate of fear in the workplace, especially among female staff.

The problem is also known in Austria. Doctors receive threatening letters or are insulted in their surgeries.