Main Article Content
Violence Against Mental Health Staff in Nigeria: Some Lessons from Two Mental Hospitals
Abstract
Background: Psychiatric patient violence against staff is frequently
encountered in mental health settings. Studies from Africa and Nigeria in
particular are few.
Aim: The study aimed at comparing the frequency and type of physical
assaults by individuals with mental illness against staff working in two
mental hospitals in Nigeria with a view to identifying some staff contextual
variables that could predispose them to these assaults.
Methods: The study was a crosssectional descriptive report by questionnaire survey of physical assaults on 189 staff members
(doctors and nurses) working at the Federal Neuropsychiatry Hospital,
Yaba (FNHY), Lagos and Federal Neuropsychiatry Hospital Calabar
(FNHC), Nigeria.
Results : One hundred and twelve participants from the two hospitals
were victims of 202 assaults. Staff of FNHC experienced more assaults
(70.4%) than staff of FNHY (49.5%), and this was significant. Nursing staff
were more frequently assaulted than doctors for the two hospitals. Even
though staff of FNHC attended fewer courses on management and
prevention of violence than staff of FNHY, not having received training in
managing patient violence and gender were not significant risk factors for
exposure to patient violence in a multivariate analysis.
Conclusion. There is a need to formulate policies and guidelines for
the management and prevention of psychiatric patient violence against
staff in our mental health institutions.
encountered in mental health settings. Studies from Africa and Nigeria in
particular are few.
Aim: The study aimed at comparing the frequency and type of physical
assaults by individuals with mental illness against staff working in two
mental hospitals in Nigeria with a view to identifying some staff contextual
variables that could predispose them to these assaults.
Methods: The study was a crosssectional descriptive report by questionnaire survey of physical assaults on 189 staff members
(doctors and nurses) working at the Federal Neuropsychiatry Hospital,
Yaba (FNHY), Lagos and Federal Neuropsychiatry Hospital Calabar
(FNHC), Nigeria.
Results : One hundred and twelve participants from the two hospitals
were victims of 202 assaults. Staff of FNHC experienced more assaults
(70.4%) than staff of FNHY (49.5%), and this was significant. Nursing staff
were more frequently assaulted than doctors for the two hospitals. Even
though staff of FNHC attended fewer courses on management and
prevention of violence than staff of FNHY, not having received training in
managing patient violence and gender were not significant risk factors for
exposure to patient violence in a multivariate analysis.
Conclusion. There is a need to formulate policies and guidelines for
the management and prevention of psychiatric patient violence against
staff in our mental health institutions.
