Relationship between workplace violence and mental/physical health of security guards during the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan
ObjectivesTo investigate the relationship between workplace violence (WPV) and mental and physical health (MPH) of security guards during the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted in 15 representative security companies across northern, central, and southern Taiwa...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1333139/full |
| _version_ | 1797295208027652096 |
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| author | Ying-Han Lee Yun-Hsuan Wu Chiu-Ying Chen Patricia Chiao-Tzu Lee Patricia Chiao-Tzu Lee Tzu-Hsien Lin Chane-Yu Lai |
| author_facet | Ying-Han Lee Yun-Hsuan Wu Chiu-Ying Chen Patricia Chiao-Tzu Lee Patricia Chiao-Tzu Lee Tzu-Hsien Lin Chane-Yu Lai |
| author_sort | Ying-Han Lee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectivesTo investigate the relationship between workplace violence (WPV) and mental and physical health (MPH) of security guards during the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted in 15 representative security companies across northern, central, and southern Taiwan, and outlying islands from July 2021 to June 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. 1,200 questionnaires were distributed. A total of 1,032 valid questionnaires were collected.Results13.18% of the participants reported that they had experienced WPV during the COVID-19 pandemic, including physical violence (PhV), psychological violence (PsV), verbal violence (VV), and sexual harassment (SH). The most common violence was VV (54.19%), followed by PsV (20.69%). Community residents and property owners were the primary perpetrators, followed by strangers. The study showed that the security guards who had experienced WPV had higher scores on the 12-item Chinese Health Questionnaire (Taiwan version) (CHQ-12), indicating poorer MPH than those who had never experienced WPV. The result showed that VV had strong correlations with the lack of effective communication, dissatisfaction with treatment and service attitude, and work stress. PsV was strongly associated with excessive waiting times.ConclusionThere were correlations among PhV, VV, and PsV and they had adverse impacts on MPH, except for SH. The study found that the primary perpetrators of WPV against security guards were community residents and property owners. The causes were the lack of effective communication, dissatisfaction with treatment and service attitude, excessive waiting times, and work stress, which further led to turnover intention and poor MPH. The findings of this study have useful implications and it is recommended to enhance the understanding of workplace violence against security guards and to formulate appropriate local and international strategies to address it. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T21:43:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-55d977f3c7db41ca8651ca37ea3f2e63 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T21:43:26Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-55d977f3c7db41ca8651ca37ea3f2e632024-02-26T04:35:52ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652024-02-011210.3389/fpubh.2024.13331391333139Relationship between workplace violence and mental/physical health of security guards during the COVID-19 pandemic in TaiwanYing-Han Lee0Yun-Hsuan Wu1Chiu-Ying Chen2Patricia Chiao-Tzu Lee3Patricia Chiao-Tzu Lee4Tzu-Hsien Lin5Chane-Yu Lai6Department of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, TaiwanDepartment of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, TaiwanDepartment of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, TaiwanDepartment of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, TaiwanSchool of Medicine and Dentistry, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, AustraliaDepartment of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, TaiwanDepartment of Occupational Safety and Health, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, TaiwanObjectivesTo investigate the relationship between workplace violence (WPV) and mental and physical health (MPH) of security guards during the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted in 15 representative security companies across northern, central, and southern Taiwan, and outlying islands from July 2021 to June 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. 1,200 questionnaires were distributed. A total of 1,032 valid questionnaires were collected.Results13.18% of the participants reported that they had experienced WPV during the COVID-19 pandemic, including physical violence (PhV), psychological violence (PsV), verbal violence (VV), and sexual harassment (SH). The most common violence was VV (54.19%), followed by PsV (20.69%). Community residents and property owners were the primary perpetrators, followed by strangers. The study showed that the security guards who had experienced WPV had higher scores on the 12-item Chinese Health Questionnaire (Taiwan version) (CHQ-12), indicating poorer MPH than those who had never experienced WPV. The result showed that VV had strong correlations with the lack of effective communication, dissatisfaction with treatment and service attitude, and work stress. PsV was strongly associated with excessive waiting times.ConclusionThere were correlations among PhV, VV, and PsV and they had adverse impacts on MPH, except for SH. The study found that the primary perpetrators of WPV against security guards were community residents and property owners. The causes were the lack of effective communication, dissatisfaction with treatment and service attitude, excessive waiting times, and work stress, which further led to turnover intention and poor MPH. The findings of this study have useful implications and it is recommended to enhance the understanding of workplace violence against security guards and to formulate appropriate local and international strategies to address it.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1333139/fullworkplace violencesecurity guardsmental and physical healthCOVID-19CHQ-12 |
| spellingShingle | Ying-Han Lee Yun-Hsuan Wu Chiu-Ying Chen Patricia Chiao-Tzu Lee Patricia Chiao-Tzu Lee Tzu-Hsien Lin Chane-Yu Lai Relationship between workplace violence and mental/physical health of security guards during the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan Frontiers in Public Health workplace violence security guards mental and physical health COVID-19 CHQ-12 |
| title | Relationship between workplace violence and mental/physical health of security guards during the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan |
| title_full | Relationship between workplace violence and mental/physical health of security guards during the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan |
| title_fullStr | Relationship between workplace violence and mental/physical health of security guards during the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relationship between workplace violence and mental/physical health of security guards during the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan |
| title_short | Relationship between workplace violence and mental/physical health of security guards during the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan |
| title_sort | relationship between workplace violence and mental physical health of security guards during the covid 19 pandemic in taiwan |
| topic | workplace violence security guards mental and physical health COVID-19 CHQ-12 |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1333139/full |
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