Europa Press Madrid

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Updated Monday, March 11, 2024-13:04

  • Attacks A nurse attacked by a patient in her health center: "I fear for my integrity"

  • Opinion Almost 6,000 attacks on doctors in recent years: "We know that there is a more overwhelming reality because not all of them are declared"

The Observatory Against Aggression of the Collegiate Medical Organization (OMC) recorded a total of 769 attacks during 2023, which means that

two doctors in Spain suffer violence every day

and places the total number since 2011 at 7,261 attacks.

Regarding the profile, of all the attacks suffered,

66% correspond to women.

"This data consolidates the trend of recent years in which women suffer the majority of attacks, something that worries us because they have skyrocketed," said the Secretary General of the WTO and coordinator of the Observatory, José Mª Rodríguez.

To know more

Health.

Attacks on health professionals grow every year: "The physical ones are reported; the others, to a large extent, are let go"

  • Editor: SANTIAGO SAIZ Madrid

Attacks on health professionals grow every year: "The physical ones are reported; the others, to a large extent, are let go"

Observatory 2022.

Attacks on doctors increase by 38%: women and primary care, the professional most at risk

  • Editorial: EL MUNDO Madrid

Attacks on doctors increase by 38%: women and primary care, the professional most at risk

On the occasion of the European Day Against Attacks on Doctors and Health Professionals, which is celebrated every March 12 and coinciding with the 15th anniversary of the murder of Dr. Mª Eugenia Moreno, the WTO presented this Monday at its headquarters the data recorded during 2023.

In this sense, in the field of

Primary Care, attacks represent 43% of cases.

Behind them are the hospitals where they drop seven points and are placed at 20%, ahead of Hospital Emergencies (10%) and Primary Care Emergencies (10%), which rebound slightly.

Most are threats

Regarding the different types of attacks suffered, in

51% of the cases there were threats and coercion

, mostly against women (65%).

Likewise, 36% were insults and 11% of the attacks ended in physical injuries, 58% of which were suffered by women and 42% by men.

Similarly, of all the

attacks received and reported, 13% ended in sick leave

, three points more than last year.

Discrepancies with care

Regarding the 16% of structural attacks, that is, those that are not related to medical care or assistance issues, the time spent receiving care stands out with 72%, followed by a malfunction of the center (28%).

Among the healthcare causes, again the main cause of aggression is the discrepancy with the medical care received, which

stands at 58%, five points more than the previous year.

Personal disagreements (11%) and reports that do not match expectations (13%) are also reasons for attacks.

Regarding the type of exercise in which the attacks occurred in 2023, they also maintain similar data to those of previous years with a

preponderance of public exercise

(90%) compared to private exercise (10%).

Of all attacks, 94% occur during work hours and environments.

In the distribution by age, the report highlights that the largest increase by age range has occurred

among members between 36 and 45 years old

(28%), five points more than in 2022.

The data also show that the type of aggressors are

mainly scheduled patients

(47%), followed by unscheduled patients (30%) and companions (22%).

The average profile of the aggressor coincides with a

male between 40-60 years old,

although it is noteworthy that in the age group under 40 years old, women predominate.

Only 40% of attacks are reported

In total, 769 attacks have been reported

, but only 308 have been reported

, which means 40% of the total.

"In reality, there are many more attacks that occur than those that are reported in schools. Many times this report is not made," said Rodríguez, who pointed out that this can be explained because "it has been internalized

that "Assaults are included in the salary."

In this sense, 52% of the centers have provided support to attacked professionals, while in 2022 this figure was 67%.

"This can be explained by the fact that the professionals may not have asked for support. Many times they do not communicate because the health center acts directly from the start. We are activating mechanisms to provide protection, both legal and psychological," Rodríguez added.

Finally, Victoria Muñoz, a psychiatrist in Ciudad Real, has recounted her testimony when she was attacked by a patient while working.

"I thought he was going to kill me on duty and I was never going to see my mother again. You go blank and don't know how to react, you curl up in a ball and think it will happen soon. He punched me,

he kicked me in the head and ribs

and the rest of the patients on the psychiatric ward helped me stop it," said Muñoz, who suffered two broken ribs and had to be off work for two weeks.

In addition, Emilio Fernández, the widower of Dr. Mª Eugenia Moreno, participated in the event.

The OMC, which brings together the 52 Medical Colleges throughout Spain and the 17 Autonomous Councils, launched this Observatory following the death, in 2009, of Moreno, a

34-year-old resident who was murdered by a patient

when He was working at the Moratalla Health Center (Murcia).