Violence Against Healthcare Workers in Psychiatric Facilities and Its Psychological Impact in Rivers State, South South Nigeria

Workplace violence against psychiatric healthcare workers is a globally prevalent occupational hazard with significant consequences for staff mental health, retention, and patient safety. This study examines the prevalence, types, and psychological impact of violence against healthcare workers at psychiatric facilities in Rivers State, South South Nigeria. A cross-sectional design will recruit 160 clinical staff from two psychiatric facilities in Port Harcourt through total enumeration. The Survey of Violence in the Workplace (SVW) will document type, frequency, and perpetrator characteristics of violence experienced in the past 12 months. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and Burnout Inventory will assess psychological impact. Logistic regression will identify staff and contextual variables associated with violence exposure and adverse psychological outcomes. Psychiatric staff in Nigerian facilities routinely report patient-initiated physical assaults, verbal abuse, and threats, with limited institutional support for affected workers. This study will generate evidence to support occupational safety policy reform, violence prevention training, and post-incident support programs at psychiatric facilities in Rivers State and contribute to national occupational health standards. Keywords: workplace violence, psychiatric facilities, healthcare workers, Rivers State, psychological impact