Risk assessment of aggression among patients applicant to medical centers
Risk assessment of aggression among patients applicant to medical centers Aim was to identify factors potentially increasing the risk of patient aggression. The study was conducted in medical centers in Poland on 244 patients. It was performed using an observation method with the Brøset Violence Checklist for measuring the risk of violent behavior, and the Overt Aggression Scale used in the case of subjects who displayed aggressive behavior. The participants were divided into categories according to the level of risk of aggression. A higher risk was observed among younger individuals, brought to medical centers by the police, those who came later in the day and under the influence of intoxicants. The patients whose risk of aggression was estimated as ≥ 2 points constituted 18.85%, out of whom 87.78% displayed overt aggression. Nursing staff is exposed to patient aggression. The use of the Brøset Violence Checklist can be recognized as an appropriate method of predicting aggressive behavior in patients.
