Violence against medical staff: prevalence and effects of violence against psychiatrists in Kuwait

To determine the prevalence and effects of violence against psychiatrists in Kuwait. Questionnaire-based study. Hospital for Psychological Medicine, Kuwait. All the consenting psychiatrists working in the only psychiatric hospital in the country were administered two questionnaires; a 12-item frequency-weighted questionnaire to measure the rates, frequency, and severity of violence and another 5-item, duration-weighted questionnaire to measure the effects of violence. 1] The frequency and the type of the violent incidents and 2] the after effects of violence on the victim, over the past one year. Fifty-three [69%] out of 77 psychiatrists completed and returned the questionnaires. Fifty-one [96%] psychiatrists reported having experienced one or another kind of violent incident; twenty-three [49%] experienced physical violence involving a single act of violence and another nineteen [36%] were subjected to physical violence involving multiple assaults or use of a weapon or a gun. The consequences of violence, in order of frequency, included flashbacks [53%], taking time off [41%], fearfulness [32%], and sleeplessness [26%]. The prevalence and severity of violence against psychiatrists are higher than the emergency department [ED] doctors but after-effects of violence were more severe amongst the ED doctors. Introduction of formal protocols, documentation of violent incidents, prosecution of offenders, and organizational support are some of the measures likely to help bring safety at workplace. In view of the small sample size, firm conclusions are difficult to draw

Long-stay psychiatric patients in Kuwait: assessment of their needs

Over the recent times, proclaimed cost effectiveness and favorable response from patients' perspective has resulted in a major shift from hospital to community care, especially for long-stay psychiatric patients. Our study was aimed at defining all the long stay psychiatric patients in Kuwait and assessing their dependency needs so as to make tentative suggestions for their rehabilitation. Information was obtained from case-notes and interviews with the patients and the charge-nurses. Two scales devised for the purpose of the study were used to estimate both the medical and the daily living needs of the patients. Out of a total of 150, more than half had been in hospital for more than five years and just under 4/5ths of them were schizophrenic. Just under 2/3rd s of the patients retained the abilities to wash, dress and undress, and control bowels; and about 3/4ths had not required any medical consultation during the previous month. Conclusions: About 2/3rd s of the patients can be discharged into the community. This would require ten community homes, each accommodating eight to ten patients. The possible number of patients requiring rehabilitation, however, may be much higher. It is estimated that for every long-stay patient in the hospital there are five similar patients in the community, living with and being cared for by their families. In order to accommodate long-stay patients living with and being cared for by their families, another 130 hospital beds and 180 places in the community would be needed