Prevalence, forms and impact of violence towards healthcare workers during the COVID – 19 pandemic in Malawi: a cross sectional study
| dc.contributor.author | Nyangulu, Wongani | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-12-22T10:25:23Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-12-22T10:25:23Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2021-11-09 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Type of study: Multi – centre, descriptive, cross sectional study Problem to be studied: Since the outbreak of Covid – 19, there are increasing reports of violence against healthcare workers including physical assault, verbal abuse, housing discrimination, and devaluation of social standing. In Malawi, violence is fueled by rumours and panic over the pandemic amidst rising number of cases and deaths in second and third waves of disease. Despite this, no studies have accurately determined the prevalence of violence, its forms and impact on the personal and professional lives of healthcare workers. Unless the burden and extent of violence against healthcare workers as a result of the COVID – 19 pandemic is characterized, no effective policy or legal interventions can be mounted to stem the problem which threatens to undermine the Malawi public health sector response to COVID – 19. Objectives: The main objective of the study is to estimate the prevalence of violence against healthcare workers during the first, second and third waves of COVID – 19 pandemic in Malawi, classify the forms of this violence and determine the impact on the personal and professional lives of those affected. The specific objectives are: i. To estimate the prevalence of violence against healthcare workers during the COVID – 19 pandemic. To classify the forms of violence experienced by healthcare workers during the COVID – 19 pandemic.To determine the perpetrators of violence against healthcare workers during the COVID – 19 pandemic including patients, guardians/relatives of patients, co – workers or community members.To evaluate predictors for violence against healthcare workers during the COVID – 19 pandemic.To determine the impact of violence on the personal and professional lives of healthcare workers during the COVID – 19 pandemic. :Methodology: This is a multi – centre, descriptive, cross sectional study. The study population will be doctors, clinical officers, nurses, ambulance drivers, health surveillance assistants and hospitalpatient attendants who work at the selected health facilities. Stratified sampling technique based on healthcare worker occupation will be used to select participants. Data will be collected using interviewer administeredself-administered standardized questionnaires. These questionnaires will be uploaded into an open data kit (ODK) system. Data will be entered into an electronic database and analysed using STATA version 13. Expected findings and dissemination: We will estimate the prevalence of violence towards healthcare workers at the workplace and in the community. We will describe the forms, perpetrators and risk factors of violence. We will also describe the impact of violence on the personal and professional lives of healthcare workers. The results of this study will be shared with Ministry of Health, participating institutions,and organizations representing healthcare workers including the Nurses Council of Malawi, the Society of Medical Doctors, the Medical Council of Malawi, with COMREC and Kamuzu University of Health Sciences. We will also present findings at local, regional and international conferences, and publish in peer – reviewed journals. | en_US |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Royal society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH) Small Grants Programme and National Institutes of Health Research (NIHR) | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://rscarchive.kuhes.ac.mw/handle/20.500.12988/782 | |
| dc.publisher | Kamuzu University of Health Sciences | en_US |
| dc.relation.ispartofseries | P.10/21/3430; | |
| dc.title | Prevalence, forms and impact of violence towards healthcare workers during the COVID – 19 pandemic in Malawi: a cross sectional study | en_US |
| dc.type | Plan or blueprint | en_US |