Assessment of Workplace Violence Against Healthcare Workers in Delta State Hospitals

Workplace violence against healthcare workers constitutes a serious occupational health and safety problem that threatens staff wellbeing, retention, and service quality. This study assessed the prevalence, types, and consequences of workplace violence among healthcare workers in secondary and tertiary hospitals in Delta State, South South Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used to survey 190 healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, and administrative staff, from four hospitals in Warri and Asaba. Data were collected using a validated modified workplace violence questionnaire. Results revealed that 68.4 percent of respondents had experienced at least one form of workplace violence in the preceding 12 months. Verbal abuse was the most common form, reported by 63.7 percent, followed by physical violence (28.4%) and sexual harassment (14.7%). Patients and their relatives were the primary perpetrators in 81.2 percent of reported incidents. Consequences included psychological distress (reported by 54.2%), reduced job satisfaction (66.3%), and intention to leave the profession (39.5%). Only 21.1 percent of experienced incidents were officially reported, reflecting significant underreporting due to normalization and fear of institutional repercussions. This study recommends the establishment of anti-violence policies, incident reporting systems, staff security training, and psychological support services in Delta State health facilities. Keywords: workplace violence, healthcare workers, verbal abuse, occupational safety, Delta State.