Prevalence of Violence Against Nurses: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Violence against nurses is a growing global issue, prevalent across countries, including Iran. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of violence against nurses through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: This study employed a systematic review and meta-analysis approach to examine the prevalence of violence against nurses. All articles in Persian published in Iranian scholarly journals, as well as articles published in English in both national and international sources, were reviewed without time restrictions. A data extraction form, designed according to the research objectives, was used to evaluate various issues including the methodology and data about the frequency of various types of violence in the selected articles. A total of ۲۶۲ articles were identified through a search strategy, and after a detailed review of titles, abstracts, and full texts, ۷۴ relevant studies on violence against nurses were included in the analysis. Results: A review of ۷۴ studies indicated that the overall prevalence of violence against nurses was ۵۷.۴۰%. Psychological violence had the highest prevalence of ۷۴.۰۷%, while sexual violence was least frequent accounting for ۲۱.۷۸% of all types of violence. The prevalence of bullying and mobbing was ۳۸.۲۹%, and physical violence was reported at ۳۰.۵%. Verbal violence had a prevalence of ۶۱.۵۱%, and racial violence was reported at ۱۳.۳۵%. According to the breakdown by place of service, hospitals were the most commonly reported location for violence, with a prevalence of ۶۰.۴۹%. Conclusion: The reported statistics on violence against healthcare workers highlight the need for comprehensive and systematic strategies in training, policymaking, and employee support to reduce workplace violence. These findings provide a foundation for future research and initiatives aimed at addressing this significant issue. Keywords: Violence, Nurse, Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis

کلیدواژه ها:

Violence ، Nurse ، Systematic Review ، Meta-Analysis