ASSAULTS ON PSYCHIATRISTS - A 3 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Objectives: This study investigates the problem of assaults on psychia trists by their patients. Method: A postal questionnaire was circulate d to 178 psychiatrists and trainees working in the Dublin area enquiri ng about assaults experienced in the previous three years. Results: Of those 147 (82%) who responded 57 (39%) had been assaulted. There were few discriminating factors between those assaulted and those not but those in child psychiatry were less likely and those in general adult psychiatry were more likely to have been the victim of an assault. Onl y 10% of respondents had received any formal training in violence mana gement. Assailants tended to be male (63%) and known to the doctor inv olved (71%). Personality disorder (37%), schizophrenia (29%) and subst ance abuse (26%) were common assailant diagnoses. Management responses to the assaults were generally internal with administrative staff inv olvement in only four cases. Conclusions: Factors which potentially pr otect or expose clinicians to a greater risk of assault are not well d efined and need to be further explored. Simple clinician or patient va riables are not especially predictive of violence risk. Clinicians nee d to acquaint themselves better with the basic practices of violence p revention and management. External measures (such as involving adminis tration) could be used more frequently to combat this common problem.