Violence against healthcare professionals: events reported by the press of Mato Grosso do Sul

Abstract

This article aims to carry out survey of violence reports which occurred in the work environment against health professionals in Mato Grosso do Sul that were reported by the media. This is a mixed-method study (quantitative and qualitative) based on documentary research, grounded in the analysis of journalistic content. The data were extracted from online newspapers in Mato Grosso do Sul, with a time frame from January 1^st, 2012, to March 30^th, 2024. Forty-four cases of healthcare professionals who were victims of workplace violence were identified in the media, the majority of whom were female (51%). Nursing professionals were the most frequently mentioned in the news, representing 57% of the published content. Physical violence (88%) was the most frequently reported form of violence, and one of the main reasons for aggression was patients’ disagreement regarding the management of care (29%).

Keywords:
nursing; mass media; health personnel; surveillance of the workers’; health; workplace violence.