ORIGINAL ARTICLE Clinically assessed consequences of workplace physical violence

Objectives To assess consequences of physical violence at work and identify their predictors. Methods Among the patients in a medicolegal consulta-tion from 2007 to 2010, the subsample of workplace vio-lence victims (n = 185) was identified and contacted again in average 30 months after the assault. Eighty-six victims (47 %) participated. Ordinal logistic regression analyses assessed the effect of 9 potential risk factors on physical, psychological and work consequences summarized in a severity score (0–9). Results Severity score distribution was as follows: 4?: 14 %; 1–3: 42 %; and 0: 44 %. Initial psychological dis-tress resulting from the violence was a strong predictor (p \ 0.001) of the severity score both on work and long-term psychological consequences. Gender and age did not reach significant levels in multivariable analyses even though female victims had overall more severe conse-quences. Unexpectedly, only among workers whose jobs implied high awareness of the risk of violence, first-time violence was associated with long-term psychological and physical consequences (p = 0.004). Among the factors assessed at follow-up, perceived lack of employers’ support or absence of employer was associated with higher values on the severity score. The seven other assessed factors (initial physical injuries; previous experience of violence; preexisting health problems; working alone; internal violence; lack of support from colleagues; and lack of support from family or friends) were not significantly associated with the severity score. Conclusions Being a victim of workplace violence can result in long-term consequences on health and employ-ment, their severity increases with the seriousness of initial psychological distress. Support from the employer can help prevent negative outcomes