According to the study published on November 16 in Cureus, a peer-reviewed, open-access medical journal, almost half of the incidents were reported to the authorities, and preventive steps were taken in only a few cases. The authors of this article are Rahul Kunnath, Nithin Suresh, and Suvarna Soman, all connected to the Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College, Kozhikode, and Jayakrishnan Thayyil of the Department of Community Medicine, KMCT Medical College, Mukkom, Kozhikode, respectively. It was carried out between July 2021 and September 2023.
The study elaborated on modern medicine doctors possessing a minimum MBBS degree and practicing in the state. Across all 14 districts of the state, a total of 2,400 doctors were contacted. Among the 1,948 respondents, 65.6% experienced violence, mainly verbal abuse (89.9%) and intimidation by gestures (32.7%). Most incidents occurred during the day (84.7%), with 32% occurring after duty hours. Casualty triage had the highest incidence (57.5%), accompanied by outpatient departments (33.6%). Relatives or caregivers were the prime perpetrators in 81.5% of the cases. While 48.6% of the incidents were reported to authorities, only 13.5% had any sort of preventive action taken. A significant 76.7% of doctors intended to relocate abroad.
Most of the respondents (31.7%) were doctors in government health service departments, accompanied by those working in private hospitals (28.4%), postgraduate residents (16%), interns (13.4%), doctors in medical colleges (8.2%), and super-specialty residents (2.1%). The study mentions, quoting media reports, that 137 attacks on doctors had been recorded in 2022 alone.
The main causes of such incidents are patient dissatisfaction, long waiting times due to inadequate staffing, improper communication, a lack of medicines or other adequate facilities, and frustration with the health care system. The authors of the study emphasize that violence against doctors can lead to injuries, trauma, stress, anxiety, and burnout. They also cast down the doctors, making them question their career choices. It also disturbs the smooth functioning of medical facilities. The occurrence of violence can create an atmosphere of fear and obstruct the doctor-patient alliance. It may create delays in treatment, compromise patient safety, and decrease the quality of care. Increasing violence against doctors can make the medical profession less alluring to would-be doctors. Because of this, experienced doctors may leave their positions or relocate to safer environments, leading to a shortage of skilled healthcare professionals.
The study recommends increasing security at healthcare facilities, improving communication between doctors and patients, promoting awareness about the consequences of violence, and training healthcare professionals on conflict resolution and de-escalation techniques.
(Input from various media sources)
(Rehash/Komal Bhoi)
