Exploring staff experiences and perceptions of patient-perpetrated violence in hospital settings: A qualitative study.

AIMS: To explore hospital staff experiences and perceptions of patient-perpetrated violence. DESIGN: Descriptive qualitative study. METHODS: Twelve semi-structured interviews (June-August 2022) were held with a diverse sample of hospital nurses, doctors, allied health professionals, security and a non-clinical manager. The framework approach was used to organise and analyse data, using Attribution Theory as a theoretical lens. RESULTS: Three themes were identified: violence as (un)predictable, violence as (un)preventable and the cumulative toll of violence. In making sense of why patients become violent, participants described different 'types' of aggressive patients and variably attributed behaviours to situation, disposition or a combination of both. Regardless of perceived causal factors, staff overwhelmingly appeared to view violence as predictable. Participants also reflected on the wider structural problems underpinning violence, frequently alluding to their sense of relative powerlessness to initiate change. The cumulative toll of violence was a common thread, with staff describing their acquisition of 'resilience' and reflecting on its role in their responses to escalating situations. CONCLUSIONS: Many hospital staff are resigned to the inevitability of violence. The concept of staff 'resilience' following violence is not unproblematic, having the potential to serve as a guise for acceptance and as an additional variable for which staff are held accountable. When designing strategies, organisations should ensure that accountability for violence reduction is distributed across multiple levels. This study makes a novel contribution by exploring the perspectives of multiple staff groups working across diverse hospital settings, and adds to a sparse literature on this subject in the UK. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION: Efforts to address violence against healthcare staff need to be power-conscious, ensuring that accountability is distributed across multiple levels. REPORTING METHOD: This study is reported in line with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies (COREQ). PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

Nursing students' exposure to violence in clinical practice and violence management competence levels.

INTRODUCTION: The violence nursing students experience in the clinic may affect their attitudes towards the profession. AIM: This study was conducted to determine nursing students' exposure to violence during their clinical practice and their violence management competence levels. DESIGN: This was a two-centred, descriptive, and correlational study. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 512 nursing students from two universities in Türkiye participated in this study. METHODS: The study data was collected between March and April 2023 with the Student Information Form, Violence Exposure Form, and Management of Workplace Violence Competence Scale for Nursing Students. Institutional permission and ethics committee approval were obtained before starting the study (Date: 05/01/2023, No: 50). Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis test and linear regression analysis were used to evaluate the data. Statistical significance was accepted as p < 0.05. RESULTS: It was determined that 17.4 % (n = 89) of the participant students felt competent in managing violence, and 94.3 % (n= 483) were concerned about being exposed to violence at various levels. In these results, 20.5 % (n = 105) of them were exposed to violence during clinical practice, 60.9 % (n = 64) of whom experienced verbal violence and 52.3 % (n = 55) psychological violence. The total mean score from the violence management competence scale was 103.29 ± 16.64. No statistically significant difference was found between the scale total and subscale scores according to gender (p > 0.05). The scale total scores of fourth-grade students with a good perceived academic success and who received training on coping with violence were statistically significantly higher (p˂0.05). The regression model created between the scale score and students' perceived academic success and receiving white code training (Training on the use of the alarm system that will enable security guards to reach the scene as soon as possible in cases where healthcare workers are exposed to all kinds of violence.) was statistically significant (F = 23.108, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Some of the students participating in the study experienced violence in clinical practices. Their violence management competence levels were good. It can be said that academic success, coping with violence, and white code training are useful in increasing competence levels.

Development and validation of an intervention for childhood trauma and exposure to violence in Vhembe District, South Africa.

Most strategies are implemented; however, South Africa needs to evaluate and develop trauma interventions. The study aims to develop, test and validate childhood trauma exposure intervention in the Vhembe district, Limpopo province. Donabedian's structure-process-outcome model will guide the study. The study will employ multiphase mixed methods with five phases. Phase 1 will be a thorough systematic evaluation of literature on childhood trauma and exposure to violence interventions to describe existing interventions. Phase 2, stage 1: Will explore the experiences of children exposed to trauma and violence regarding their experiences of the treatment they received, using semi-structured qualitative interviews. Non-probability purposeful sampling techniques will be used to select participants. The Thoyondou Victim Empowerment's database will select participants. The researchers will conduct semi-structured and unstructured interviews with youngsters exposed to violence and trauma. Stage 2 will be a qualitative study of trauma centre managers and personnel sampled from the contact record. IPA will analyze data. Phase 3 will conceptualize Phase 1 and the empirical phase into Donabedian's SPO framework for Phase 4. Phase 4 develops the intervention using Phase 3's conceptual framework and tests and validates it.

Exploring Firearm Access, Carriage, and Possession among Justice-Involved Youth.

Firearm carriage and possession predicts youth firearm violence victimization and perpetration. This study describes self-reported factors associated with firearm access, carriage, and possession among justice-involved youth. We conducted an exploratory, mixed-methods study. Participants were recruited from May 2022 to February 2023 from the Juvenile Justice Collaborative, a diversion program for justice-involved youth. We used online anonymous surveys to investigate exposures related to firearm access, carriage, and possession. We performed semi-structured interviews using the phenomenology framework. We used descriptive statistics to examine firearm exposures by participant demographics. We performed qualitative analyses using an iterative approach with constant comparison to identify key themes. We completed 28 surveys and 5 interviews. Most survey participants identified as male (57%) and Black (61%) with a median age of 18 years. Interview participants described the socialization and cultural normalization of firearms, most prominently among peers. Survey participants reported whether they had ever carried (25%) or possessed (21%) a firearm. Survey and interview participants endorsed protection in the context of increasing violence exposure over time as the primary motivation for firearm possession. Interview participants describe accessing firearms primarily through social networks while survey participants also reported access from strangers (25%) and licensed sellers/gun dealers (18%). In conclusion, justice-involved youth believe firearm carriage and possession may be needed for protection due to increasing violence exposure. Further investigation is necessary to determine interventions that may decrease firearm access, carriage, and possession among justice-involved youth.

Guardians of health under fire: Understanding and combating violence against doctors.

Violence against physicians is not a newly emerged but an increasingly serious problem. Various studies have reported a prevalence of up to 90%. If not prevented, it not only causes physical and mental harm to physicians who are dedicated to serving humanity but also affects the entire healthcare system and, consequently, the whole community with its direct and indirect effects. Some interventions have a positive outcome when effectively managed. However, for these interventions to be permanent and effective, they need to be multidisciplinary, legally backed and adopted as public policy. In this article, the prevalence of violence against physicians in the literature, its causes, practices worldwide, and suggestions for solving this problem are compiled.

The Association of Teen Pregnancy and Violence: A Multilevel Study in Colombia.

Background: Colombia has a high teen pregnancy (TP) rate. In 2018, one in five pregnancies was from teen mothers between 10 and 19 years of age. While TP rates are declining globally, Colombia's TP rate decline has been particularly low, despite sexual education and contraception campaigns. Other factors must be studied to prevent TP. Colombia has a long history of violence. We aim to assess whether there is a relationship between TP and exposure to violence in Colombia. Methods: Data from the Colombian Demographic and Health Survey 2015 and the Colombian National Department of Statistics were analyzed for association between TP and sexual violence, physical violence, physical punishment as a child, and community violence. Univariate, bivariate, multivariate, and multilevel binary logistic regression models were calculated using SPSS v.25 and HLM v.7. Results: Fifteen percent of teens were pregnant. Emotional violence was reported by 47%, sexual harassment by 27%, physical violence by 17%, physical punishment as a child by 7%, and unwanted sex by 2%. Unwanted sex (odds ratio [OR]: 3.18, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.96-5.16), sexual harassment (OR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.89-3.14), and physical punishment (OR: 20.30, 95% CI: 7.96-22.81) were associated with adolescent pregnancy. In unadjusted models, emotional violence was associated (OR: 1.22, 95% CI 1.06-1.40) and community violence showed a tendency (OR: 1.24, 95% CI: 0.99-1.55). Physical violence was not associated. Conclusions: Violence exposure and particularly physical punishment, unwanted sex and sexual harassment were associated with TP incidence and should be considered risk factors for TP.

Childbirth experiences of women with a history of physical, sexual, and child abuse: a cross-sectional study of 2,575 Russian women.

BACKGROUND: A substantial number of women who subsequently become pregnant and give birth have a history of physical, sexual, and/or child abuse. This study investigated the associations of these types of traumas and their cumulative effect with childbirth experiences, namely, mode of birth, maternal and child complications during pregnancy/childbirth, preterm birth, medical procedures, and obstetric violence during labour. METHODS: A group of Russian women (n = 2,575) who gave birth within the previous 12 months, completed a web-based survey, where they provided demographic information, details about their childbirth experiences, and a history of trauma. RESULTS: Women with any type of past abuse were at higher risk for maternal complications during pregnancy/childbirth (exp(ß) < 0.73, p < 0.010 for all). More specific to the type of trauma were associations of physical abuse with caesarean birth, child abuse with complications during pregnancy/childbirth for the baby, and physical and child abuse with obstetric violence (exp(ß) < 0.54, p < 0.022 for all). There was a cumulative effect of trauma for all the outcomes except for medical procedures during childbirth and preterm birth. CONCLUSION: This study provides insights into potential different individual effects of physical, sexual, and/or child abuse as well as their cumulative impact on the childbirth experiences. The robust findings about maternal complications during pregnancy/childbirth and obstetric violence highlight the importance of trauma-informed care, supportive policies, and interventions to create safe and empowering birthing environments that prioritise patient autonomy, dignity, and respectful communication.

Examining the causal effects of exposure to violence on crime among youth involved in the justice system: Experienced, witnessed, and experienced-witnessed violence.

Previous studies on exposure to violence lack a nuanced understanding of the causal effects of different exposure types on offending behaviors. This study, drawing on Pathways to Desistance Study (PDS) data tracking 1354 adjudicated youths aged 14-18 over 7 years, explores the contemporaneous (cross-sectional), acute (after 1 year), enduring (after 3 years), and long-term (after 6 years) causal effects of violence exposure on property and violent offending. The sample, predominantly male (86%), consisted of White (20%), Black (42%), and other (38%) individuals. The generalized propensity score is used to match unbalanced covariates across multiple exposure types, namely noninvolved (n = 392), witnessed (n = 577), experienced (n = 31), and experienced-witnessed violence (n = 305). Results demonstrate the contemporaneous, acute, enduring, and long-term effects of violence exposure on both violent and property offending, with varying durations and strengths across exposure types. The most pronounced risk effects are immediate, diminishing over time and potentially reversing in the long term as youth transition into adulthood. Among exposure types, experienced-witnessed violence exhibits the most potent effects on offending, followed by witnessed violence and then experienced violence-a pattern consistent across the observed time points. Noteworthy is the finding that the impact of violence exposure is more pronounced for violent offending, diminishing more rapidly compared to the effects on property offending.

Interpersonal Violence, Racial Discrimination, and Mental Health Symptoms Among Adolescents of Color in the Juvenile-Justice System.

The current study examined how interpersonal racial discrimination experiences operate together with other forms of interpersonal violence to contribute to mental health symptoms among justice-involved adolescents of color. Participants were 118 justice-involved adolescents of color aged 14 to 17 (M = 15.77, SD = 1.08; 52.5% male; 77.1% Black/African American) and their mothers. At baseline, adolescents reported on experiences of interpersonal racial discrimination, harsh parenting, teen dating violence, and exposure to interparental physical intimate partner violence. At baseline and the 3-month follow-up assessment, adolescents reported on trauma symptoms, and adolescents and their mothers reported on the adolescents' externalizing and internalizing symptoms. Multivariate multilevel modeling results indicated that interpersonal racial discrimination experiences contributed additively to adolescent mental health symptoms at both the baseline and 3-month follow-up assessments, after accounting for exposure to other forms of interpersonal violence. The current findings highlight the importance of considering adolescents' experiences of interpersonal racial discrimination, together with other forms of interpersonal violence, in work focused on understanding the mental health symptoms of justice-involved adolescents of color.

Alteraciones de la salud humana por artefactos explosivos improvisados. Revisión sistemática exploratoria / Alterations of human health due to improvised explosive devices. Exploratory systematic review / Mudanças na saúde humana devido a dispositivos explosivos improvisados. Revisão sistemática exploratória

Objetivo: revisar la literatura existente indagando por los tipos de lesión o enfermedad que se han identificado en supervivientes de artefactos explosivos improvisados (AEI), así como aspectos individuales y colectivos relacionados con la protección o destrucción de la salud humana enfrentada a los AEI. Metodología: revisión sistemática exploratoria de literatura publicada en bases de datos, como PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, JSTOR, OpenGrey y Google Scholar, entre 2001 a 2021 en cualquier localización geográfica. Se incluyeron artículos de investigación, de revisión o reflexión, libros o capítulos de libro de investigación e informes técnicos, en inglés, español, francés y portugués. Resultados: cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión y fueron revisados 76 documentos. Se han reportado múltiples lesiones asociadas al uso de los AEI, sin que exista un patrón característico de lesión o enfermedad; no obstante, la lesión más común es la amputación bilateral de miembros inferiores. En supervivientes se ha encontrado que el personal militar afectado suele mostrar una mayor capacidad de resiliencia, calidad de vida, tratamiento oportuno y capacidad física funcional más alta, comparado con civiles. El apoyo social genera efectos positivos en la salud y bienestar de los afectados. Conclusiones: los AEI generan múltiples afectaciones a la salud humana, físicas y psicosociales, los cuales requieren una atención integral y multidisciplinaria para el tratamiento, rehabilitación y reintegración de los supervivientes. Los aspectos protectores y destructivos identificados se encuentran asociados a mejores o peores resultados en la salud, existe una representación desigual entre civiles y militares.

Objective: to review the existing literature where we inquired for injury types or illness identified in victims of improvised explosive devices (IED), and also to look for individual and collective processes described in literature in relation with the protection or destruction of human's health and IEDs. Methodology: exploratory systematic review of the literature published on PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, JSTOR, OpenGrey and Google Scholar databases between 2001 and 2022, in any geographic location. We included research, review and opinion articles, books and book chapters reporting research results, and final technical reports in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese. Results: 76 documents met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Multiple types of injuries have been reported in relation with the use of IEDs, without a characteristic pattern of injury or disease reported; however, the most common injury is bilateral lower limb amputation. In survivors it has been found that affected military personnel tend to show greater resilience capacity, better quality of life, timely treatment, and higher functional physical capacity, compared to civilians. Social support generates positive health effects and wellness of people affected by IED. Conclusion: IEDs generate multiple effects on human health, both physical and psychosocial, which is why comprehensive and multidisciplinary care is required for the treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration of their victims. The protective and destructive processes identified are associated with better or worse health outcomes, with unequal representation between civilians and military personnel.

Objetivo: Revisar a literatura existente investigando os tipos de lesão ou doença que foram identificados em sobreviventes de artefatos explosivos improvisados ​​(IED), bem como aspectos individuais e coletivos relacionados à proteção ou destruição da saúde humana diante de IEDs. Metodologia: Revisão sistemática exploratória da literatura publicada nas bases de dados Pubmed, Scielo, Lilacs, JSTORE, Open Gray e Google Acadêmico, entre 2001 e 2021 em qualquer localidade geográfica. Foram incluídos artigos de pesquisa, revisão ou reflexão, livros ou capítulos de livros de pesquisa, relatórios técnicos, em inglês, espanhol, francês e português. Resultados: Atenderam aos critérios de inclusão e foram revisados ​​76 documentos. Múltiplas lesões associadas ao uso de IEDs foram relatadas, sem um padrão característico de lesão ou doença; entretanto, a lesão mais comum é a amputação bilateral de membros inferiores. Nos sobreviventes, verificou-se que os militares acometidos tendem a apresentar maior resiliência, qualidade de vida, tratamento oportuno e maior capacidade física funcional, em comparação aos civis. O apoio social gera efeitos positivos na saúde e bem-estar das pessoas afetadas. Conclusões: Os IEDs geram múltiplos efeitos na saúde humana, física e psicossocial, que requerem atenção integral e multidisciplinar para o tratamento, reabilitação e reintegração dos sobreviventes. Os aspectos protetores e destrutivos identificados estão associados a melhores ou piores resultados de saúde, com representação desigual entre civis e militares.

Association between witnessing domestic violence against the mother in childhood and intimate partner violence in adulthood: A population-based analysis of Peru.

Objective: To assess the association between witnessing domestic violence against the mother in childhood and intimate partner violence (IPV) in adulthood. Study design: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the 2019 Peruvian Demographic and Family Health Survey (ENDES). The independent variable was the condition of witnessing physical violence by the father against the mother during childhood. The dependent variable was IPV, defined by the presence of some subtype of violence (physical, psychological, and sexual) against the respondent in the last year by her husband or partner. To assess this association, generalized linear models of the Poisson Family with a logarithmic link function were performed to estimate crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) with their respective 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results: Data from 17,911 Peruvian women between 15 and 59 years of age were analyzed. Most women were between 30 and 49 years old (71.4%), were cohabiting (65.0%), and had secondary education (43.2%). The prevalence of IPV in the last year was 16.0%, and the history of witnessing domestic violence against the mother during childhood was 42.0%. In the regression models, those with the studied exposure showed a higher prevalence of experiencing an episode of IPV in the last year (any IPV [aPR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.50-1.91]; physical IPV [aPR: 1.70; 95% CI: 1.43-2.02], psychological IPV [aPR: 1.64; 95% CI:1.42-1.88], and sexual IPV [aPR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.22-2.32]). Conclusions: Women with a history of domestic violence towards their mothers were likelier to have had IPV in the last year than women who did not report violence towards their mothers during childhood. Approximately two in ten Peruvian women reported having had IPV in the past year, and nearly half reported witnessing domestic violence against their mother as a child.

Change Laboratory intervention for promoting learning about causes and prevention of workplace aggressions in a mental health facility.

AIM: To assess a Change Laboratory (CL) intervention concerning the promotion of learning about the causes and prevention of workplace aggression in a Healthcare Service for Drug and Alcohol Users. BACKGROUND: It is estimated that one fourth of all healthcare professionals worldwide have already experienced some kind of workplace violence. In mental health facilities, aggressions have multiple origins, including moments when physical restraint is applied or situations when the patients' demands are not met. This problem is aggravated in facilities known for their practice of imposing disciplinary measures. Several studies have shown the need to reduce disciplinary means, as well as the importance of health service teams and user participation in designing strategies to prevent aggression. DESIGN: This study employed a qualitative approach with an exploratory and descriptive design. An intervention was conducted in a Healthcare Service for Drug and Alcohol Users, in Brazil. The COREQ guidelines were followed for reporting. METHODS: This study is a qualitative analysis of nine sessions of a CL, which was conducted in 2022 with 12 healthcare professionals, mainly women from the nursing staff. RESULTS: These workers identified the main causes of aggression after a historical and empirical analysis of the nature of the work performed and the contradictions inherent within it. They also recognized the need for cooperative teams prepared to recognize potentially aggressive situations beforehand. CONCLUSIONS: This article brings practical contributions by showing a detailed analysis of how the CL intervention method, using the principle of Transformative Agency Double Stimulation, promotes a sequence of learning actions. The method helped participants to systematically understand the causes of the situations that give rise to workplace violence, examining the goal of the activity as something socially and historically constructed. Likewise, this method helped the professionals to collectively build the key components of a potential prevention program against aggression in the workplace.

Elevations in Blood Pressure Associated with Exposure to Violence are Mitigated by Pro-gun-Carrying Attitudes among Street-Identified Black Males and Females.

Living in neighborhoods with elevated rates of violent crime, such as in many poor Black American communities, is a risk factor for a range of physical and mental health challenges. However, the individual different factors that influence health outcomes in these stressful environments remain poorly understood. This study examined relations between exposure to violence, gun-carrying attitudes, and blood pressure in a community sample of street-identified Black American boys/men and girls/women. Survey data and blood pressure were collected from 329 participants (ages 16-54; 57.1% male) recruited from two small urban neighborhoods with high rates of violence using street participatory action research methodology. Results revealed that systolic blood pressure was elevated in the sample as was exposure to severe forms of direct and vicarious violence (e.g., shootings, assault). Attitudes about carrying guns moderated associations between the degree of violence exposure endorsed by participants and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Specifically, the positive association between exposure to violence and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure at low levels of pro-gun-carrying attitudes was no longer apparent at high levels of pro-gun attitudes. Furthermore, pro-gun attitudes appeared to moderate the association between exposure to violence and systolic pressure for older participants but not younger participants. Results suggest that positive attitudes about carrying guns (presumably indicative of pro-gun-carrying behavior) weakened the link between violence exposure and blood pressure. These novel findings suggest that carrying a gun may protect against the harmful effects of chronic stress from violence exposure on physical health outcomes (i.e., hypertension) among street-identified Black Americans.

Exposure to patient aggression and health outcomes for forensic mental health nurses: A cross-sectional survey.

AIMS: The aims of the study were to determine the types and prevalence of forensic mental health nurse exposure to patient aggression and explore the impact of these exposures on their physical and mental health and work absences. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey conducted January to April 2020. METHODS: All 205 nurses working in an Australian high-security inpatient forensic mental health hospital were invited to participate. An online survey included the Perception of Prevalence of Aggression Scale to measure respondent exposure to types of patient aggression, and the SF-36v2 to measure mental and physical health. Absence from work and other work and individual characteristics were also explored. RESULTS: Sixty-eight respondents completed the survey. Verbal abuse was the most experienced aggression type, followed by physical violence and observing violence, patient self-harming behaviours and sexual violence. Nurses who worked in acute units experienced significantly more exposure to overall aggression than nurses in non-acute units. Higher level of aggression was associated with number of days sick leave taken and days off due to aggression or violence. Higher level of aggression was associated with poorer mental health, and patient self-harming behaviour was associated with poorer physical health. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses in acute units experience higher levels of inpatient aggression and are therefore at increased risk of being impacted by the exposure. Findings indicate a psychological impact of exposure to frequent aggression and potential for an accumulative effect of exposure to traumatic events on nurse well-being. Nurses who are victim of, or witness, physical violence are most likely to take time off work. IMPACT: This study provides further evidence that forensic mental health nurses are frequently exposed to various forms of patient aggression. For some nurses, this exposure to patient aggression negatively impacted their mental and physical health. Employing organizations should therefore prioritize provision of formal support for nurses. No patient or public contribution.

O que os adolescentes do município do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, têm feito para reduzir sua exposição à violência comunitária? / What have adolescents in Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil, done to reduce their community violence exposure?

Resumo O objetivo do estudo é conhecer as estratégias individuais mais utilizadas por adolescentes de escolas públicas e privadas da IX Região Administrativa do município do Rio de Janeiro para evitar a exposição à violência comunitária, bem como investigar o perfil de coocorrência e sua prevalência em subgrupos populacionais específicos. Trata-se de um estudo seccional com 693 indivíduos. As informações referentes às estratégias para evitar a exposição à violência comunitária foram coletadas por meio de questionário multidimensional autopreenchido em sala de aula. As estratégias mais utilizadas foram: evitar passar onde há pessoas armadas (55,5%), evitar andar sozinho (30,5%) e evitar voltar para casa de madrugada (24,7%). Observou-se que as meninas adotam mais todos (concomitantemente) os quatro tipos de comportamento limitantes para reduzir sua exposição à violência comunitária (53% vs. 32%). Ressalta-se que a adoção de tais estratégias diferiu segundo os indicadores socioeconômicos, sendo maior entre os adolescentes oriundos de família de estratos de renda mais baixos. Tais achados chamam a atenção para a alta frequência de utilização de tais estratégias por adolescentes, o que pode cercear e limitar o pleno desenvolvimento de suas habilidades sociais e culturais.

Abstract This study aims to identify the individual community strategies to avoid violence exposure most used by adolescents from public and private schools in the IX Administrative Region of Rio de Janeiro and investigate the profile of co-occurrence and its prevalence in specific population subgroups. This is a cross-sectional study with 693 individuals. A multidimensional questionnaire collected information regarding strategies to avoid community violence exposure and was self-completed in the classroom. The most used strategies were avoiding walking close to armed people (55.5%), avoiding walking alone (30.5%), and avoiding returning home at dawn (24.7%). Girls adopt more of all (concurrently) the four limiting behaviors to reduce their community violence exposure (53% vs. 32%). Notably, the adoption of such strategies differed by socioeconomic indicators and was higher among adolescents from lower-income households. These findings point to the high frequency of use of such strategies by adolescents, which may hinder and limit the full development of their social and cultural skills.

Exposición a la violencia e ideación suicida en estudiantes universitarios de Santa Marta, Colombia

Introducción: La exposición a la violencia afecta la salud mental. Sin embargo, existen pocos estudios sobre este fenómeno en estudiantes universitarios. Objetivo: Establecer la asociación entre la exposición a la violencia e ideación suicida en universitarios de Santa Marta, Colombia. Metodología: Se realizó un estudio cuantitativo, analítico y transversal. Participaron 1647 estudiantes entre 16 y 24 años (M=20,58, DT=1,715), quienes completaron la Escala de Exposición a la Violencia (α = 0,87) y la Escala de Ideación Suicida de Roberts (α =0,74). Resultados: El modelo de regresión logística ajustado indicó que la exposición directa a la violencia en el colegio (OR=2,02; IC95 %=1,28-3,16) y casa (OR=1,53; IC95 %=1,02-2,29), e indirecta en colegio (OR=1,34; IC95 %= 11,06-1,70) y casa (OR=1,91; IC95 %=1,27-2,88), incrementan la ideación suicida. Conclusiones: La exposición a la violencia en el colegio y en la casa, de forma directa e indirecta, son factores de riesgo para la ideación suicida en estudiantes universitarios.

Introduction: Exposure to violence affects mental health; however, there are few studies on this phenomenon in university students. Objective: To establish the association between exposure to violence and suicidal ideation in university students from Santa Marta, Colombia. Methodology: A quantitative, analytical, and cross-sectional study was carried out involving 1,647 students between 16 and 24 years old (M=20.58, SD=1.715), who completed the violence exposure Scale (α =0.87) and the Roberts suicidal ideation scale (α =0.74). Results: The adjusted logistic regression model indicated that direct exposure to violence at school (OR=2.02; 95% CI=1.28-3.16) and home (OR=1.53; 95% CI=1.02 -2.29), and indirect exposure at school (OR=1.34; CI95%= 1.06-1.70) and home (OR=1.91; CI95%=1.27-2.88), increased suicidal ideation. Conclusion: Direct and indirect exposure to violence at school and at home are risk factors for suicidal ideation in university students.

Childhood Trauma and Exposure to Violence Interventions: The Need for Effective and Feasible Evidence-Based Interventions.

Several crimes in South Africa cause physical, economic, and mental problems. Xenophobic attacks, mob justice, and other violent conduct directly traumatise children. Service delivery riots and physical and sexual abuse are examples. This evaluation evaluates childhood trauma and exposure to violence interventions. The review describes the therapeutic methods for traumatised children exposed to violence, the healthcare professionals administering them, and the strategies used to tailor the interventions. The researcher systematically searched PsycINFO, Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, and EBSCOhost. Literature from 2011 to 31 July 2023 was searched, and 19 papers were chosen for further review after the systematic search. The authors conducted an eligibility evaluation according to PRISMA guidelines. A thorough review of article texts identified 19 papers that met eligibility standards. Only nineteen studies have validated trauma and violence therapies for children. An effective multi-phased intervention that is feasible and adaptable to varied socioeconomic backgrounds is needed. Further studies on the mental health benefits of brief trauma intervention treatment are needed.

Early Childhood Violence Exposure Patterns in The Drakenstein Child Health Study (DCHS).

Background: Research has highlighted high rates of exposure to violence among South African youth. However, work to date has been largely cross-sectional, focused on violence exposure during the adolescence period, and has been limited to specific types of violence exposure. We examined violence exposure in South African preschool children between 3 and 6 years of age, capturing both direct and indirect forms of violence, and tested for potential sex differences across the several types of exposures. Methods: Lifetime direct and indirect exposure to domestic and community violence was measured by parental report when children were 3.5 years (N = 530), 4.5 years (N = 749) and 6 years of age (N= 417) in a South African birth cohort located in a peri-urban community. Results: There are three main findings. First, a large proportion of children (72%-75%) were reported as having been exposed to some form of direct or indirect violent experience in their homes or communities from a young age. Second, there was significant polyvictimization,  with 49% of the children being exposed to more than one type of violence by age 6. Third, by 4.5 years of age, there was evidence that boys were more likely than girls to be exposed to domestic victimisation (28% vs. 17%) and polyvictimization (38% vs. 28%). Conclusions: These findings highlight the high levels of violence exposure in young South African children, particularly among boys, and the need for prevention at both the community and individual levels.

Exposure to Violence in Social Unrest, Resilience, and Mental Health of Older People in Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVE: Older adults are prone to the negative effects of exposure to violence on their mental health. This study aimed to examine the impact of exposure to violence during social unrest and the role of resilience in the mental health of older people. DESIGN: A total of 1,203 people aged 65 years or older were randomly selected for a telephone survey using the random digit dialing numbering method in Hong Kong. MEASUREMENTS: A 13-item scale was developed to measure exposure to violence. The Chinese versions of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and the Startle, Physiological Arousal, Anger, and Numbness scales for measuring mental health status were adopted in the survey. RESULTS: The results showed that the more frequently older people were exposed to information, the more negative mental health status they had. However, exposure to witnessing and experiencing violence was not significantly associated with mental health status. Older adults' level of resilience had a moderating effect between exposure to information and mental health, whereas the effect of exposure to information on mental health was stronger for respondents with lower resilience. CONCLUSION: This study showed that emotional problems caused by exposure to related information among older people should be properly addressed during massive social unrest and conflict. Their resilience capacity is an important moderating factor. Future interventions and support services should focus on enhancing the resilience of older people to better equip them with overcoming problems related to macro-social issues.

Prevalence and correlates of knife-related victimization: Insights from the 2019 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample.

Few studies have explored the incidence and general trends in knife-related victimizations in the United States (US), especially in settings where preventive interventions can potentially be initiated such as emergency departments (EDs). The goal of the present investigation was to provide an empirical portrait of the psychosocial and behavioral health characteristics of patients assaulted by sharp objects, particularly knives, as revealed in EDs in the US, as less research has focused on knife victimization in the US than internationally. This study uses data from the 2019 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS), which is part of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project distributed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Findings revealed that demographically males (especially those aged 18-25), those in poverty, and members of racially minoritized groups were more likely to be present with knife-related assault. Key factors increasing the odds of knife-related victimization treated in EDs were homelessness, legal involvement, and substance use, particularly alcohol and stimulant use disorder. Somewhat surprisingly, mental health diagnosis was not associated with increased knife-related victimization. Although EDs are critical to treating knife-related victimization, they are also potentially key points to launch prevention for high-risk individuals to reduce subsequent violence stemming from escalation of interpersonal disputes.