Individual and Job Factors Affecting the Incidence of Occupational Violence among Workers in Industries

Background and Objective: Deviant behaviors, such as occupational violence, are recognized as a serious crisis all across the globe. It can lead to physiological stress and reduces job satisfaction, as well as social and family relationships. The present study aimed to assess the individual and occupational factors affecting the incidence of workplace violence among workers in different industries in East Azerbaijan. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018. The research population consisted of all personnel in five industries, including the chocolate factory, food industry, health products, steel, and agricultural industry in East Azerbaijan. Data were collected by a researcher-made questionnaire provided based on standard questionnaires developed in International Labour Organization (ILO) and World Health Organization (WHO). The validity and reliability of this questionnaire were confirmed in previous studies. Data analysis was performed in SPSS software (version 22) using Chi-square and multiple logistic regression test. Results: In all industries, verbal violence with a frequency of 46.6% was the most common type of violence. Moreover, internal organizational factors played a major role in the incidence of occupational violence in these industries. The results of logistic regression pointed to the statistically significant associations of occupational violence with referring to a psychiatrist (P=0.005), gender (P=0.001), and work shift(P=0.001). Conclusion: The high prevalence of verbal violence highlights the necessity of some plans and measures in this regard. Therefore, it is recommended that ergonomics and psychology intervention be implemented to reduce the stressful environmental conditions and violence among employees