A Pilot Study: Emergency Medical Services-Related Violence in the Out-of-Hospital Setting in Southeast Michigan.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-2021

Publication Title

Journal of Emergency Medicine

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel in the out-of-hospital setting continue to be at high risk for violence, in spite of continued research on a national scale.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to determine the prevalence and type of violence perpetrated against Southeast Michigan EMS personnel, and characteristics of victims in the out-of-hospital setting.

METHODS: EMS personnel from urban and suburban counties in Southeastern Michigan were surveyed online about their experience with violence, including description and outcomes, while working in the out-of-hospital setting within the previous 6 months. Gift card incentive and recruitment scripts were provided and read to participants. This was a pilot study that was limited to 150 respondents and ran for 3 months. Descriptive statistical analysis was done with an odds ratio, p value, and two-sample independent t-test analysis.

RESULTS: There were 137 surveys respondents. Most respondents, 75 of 128 (58.6%) reported being a victim of violence within the previous 6 months. Perpetrators were primarily patients and occasionally family members. Substance abuse or mental health issues were frequently associated with violence. Although not common, women reported violence perpetrated by a coworker more often than men (odds ratio 5.17; 95% confidence interval 1.67-16.0). Only 55 of 117 respondents (47.0%) felt that the training did an adequate job protecting them from violence.

CONCLUSIONS: More than one-half of responding EMS personnel experienced work-related violence within the previous 6 months in Southeast Michigan. This high rate of violence supports the need for additional research and policies that ensure the safety of EMS providers in this region.

Volume

60

Issue

4

First Page

554

Last Page

559

DOI

10.1016/j.jemermed.2020.12.007

ISSN

0736-4679

PubMed ID

33485743

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