OBJECTIVE: To examine the self-reported prevalence of aggressive and/or disruptive behaviors by patients as related to their medical care. METHOD: In a cross-sectional, consecutive sample of internal medicine outpatients (N = 397), respondents reported on 17 aggressive and/or disruptive behaviors related to their medical care. Data were collected during November 2010. RESULTS: In this sample, 48.9% of respondents endorsed at least 1 of the proposed aggressive behaviors; 9.1% endorsed 1 behavior, 20.4% endorsed 2 behaviors, 10.3% endorsed 3 behaviors, 5.5% endorsed 4 behaviors, and 3.5% endorsed 5 or more behaviors (the maximum being 11). The most commonly reported behaviors were talking negatively about medical personnel to family (41.3%) and friends (39.5%), threatening to hit or strike medical personnel (7.1%), and refusing to pay a bill because of dissatisfaction or anger (6.8%). No participant reported being escorted off premises by security or being charged with assault in a medical setting. For those who reported 1 or more aggressive behaviors, there were no gender differences, but younger and better educated patients were more likely to report such behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: While the majority of patients do not evidence aggressive behaviors related to their medical care, a small minority do report such behavior, some of which can be disruptive as well as dangerous.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the self-reported prevalence of aggressive and/or disruptive behaviors by patients as related to their medical care. METHOD: In a cross-sectional, consecutive sample of internal medicine outpatients (N = 397), respondents reported on 17 aggressive and/or disruptive behaviors related to their medical care. Data were collected during November 2010. RESULTS: In this sample, 48.9% of respondents endorsed at least 1 of the proposed aggressive behaviors; 9.1% endorsed 1 behavior, 20.4% endorsed 2 behaviors, 10.3% endorsed 3 behaviors, 5.5% endorsed 4 behaviors, and 3.5% endorsed 5 or more behaviors (the maximum being 11). The most commonly reported behaviors were talking negatively about medical personnel to family (41.3%) and friends (39.5%), threatening to hit or strike medical personnel (7.1%), and refusing to pay a bill because of dissatisfaction or anger (6.8%). No participant reported being escorted off premises by security or being charged with assault in a medical setting. For those who reported 1 or more aggressive behaviors, there were no gender differences, but younger and better educated patients were more likely to report such behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: While the majority of patients do not evidence aggressive behaviors related to their medical care, a small minority do report such behavior, some of which can be disruptive as well as dangerous.
Authors: M A Moreno Jiménez; F Vico Ramírez; F J Zerolo Andrey; A López Rodríguez; P Herrera Serenab; M J Mateios Salidoc Journal: Aten Primaria Date: 2005 Jul-Aug Impact factor: 1.137
Authors: Jeannette Naish; Yvonne H Carter; Richard W Gray; Tony Stevens; Josephine M Tissier; Madeleine M Gantley Journal: Fam Pract Date: 2002-10 Impact factor: 2.267