The Impact of Workplace Violence on Headache and Sleep Problems in Nurses

Abstract

Workplace violence (WV) is a significant occupational hazard for nurses. Previous studies have shown that WV has a reciprocal relationship with occupational stress. Headaches and sleep problems are early neuropsychological signs of distress. This cross-sectional study aims to ascertain the frequency of physical or verbal assaults on nurses and to study the association of WV with headaches and sleep problems. During their regular medical examination in the workplace, 550 nurses and nursing assistants (105 males, 19.1%; mean age 48.02 ± 9.98 years) were asked to fill in a standardized questionnaire containing the Violent Incident Form (VIF) concerning the episodes of violence experienced, the Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) regarding headaches, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory (PSQI) on sleep quality. Occupational stress was measured using the Effort/Reward Imbalance questionnaire (ERI). Physical and non-physical violence experienced in the previous year was reported by 7.5% and 17.5% of workers, respectively. In the univariate logistic regression models, the workers who experienced violence had an increased risk of headaches and sleep problems. After adjusting for sex, age, job type, and ERI, the relationship between physical violence and headaches remained significant (adjusted odds ratio aOR = 2.25; confidence interval CI95% = 1.11; 4.57). All forms of WV were significantly associated with poor sleep in a multivariate logistic regression model adjusted for sex, age, job type, and ERI (aOR = 2.35 CI95% = 1.44; 3.85). WV was also associated with the impact of headaches and with sleep quality. WV prevention may reduce the frequency of lasting psychoneurological symptoms, such as headaches and poor sleep quality, that interfere with the ability to work.

Workplace Health Promotion Embedded in Medical Surveillance: The Italian Way to Total Worker Health Program

“…The results of each survey were reported to the companies, the corporate prevention service, and the workers’ safety representatives in order to contribute to the growth of the work culture. Besides offering workers advice and providing companies with useful indications, WHPEMS activities have enabled researchers to produce some scientific publications [ 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 ]. Furthermore, by annually reiterating surveys on the same cohorts of workers, it has been possible to carry out longitudinal studies to clarify the causal link between exposure to risk and damage to health [ 64 , 65 ].…”

Headache Characteristics and Risk Factors Among Healthcare Providers in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia

“…Previous studies have explored the impact of workplace violence on headaches and related symptoms. For instance, a study by Magnavita et al (2022) found a significant association between workplace violence and both migraines and tension headaches [ 42 ]. Their findings align with the current study’s results, suggesting that experiencing violence at work may contribute to the development of tension headaches.…”

Analyzing the Role of Stress and Rumination in Tension-Type Headaches and Migraine

“…Moreover, the role of dietary factors, such as fatty acid intake, in influencing stress perception and sleep quality, as noted by Faurot et al (2023), suggests that dietary modifications could be a valuable component of comprehensive headache management strategies (Faurot et al, 2023). The influence of environmental and social factors, such as workplace violence (Magnavita et al, 2022) and the pressures faced by medical students (Ragab et al, 2023), further illustrate the complex relationship between stress, psychological well-being, and headache disorders. These factors likely contribute to the overall stress burden, exacerbating headache symptoms and underscoring the need for holistic approaches to headache management that consider these external stressors.…”

“…This further underscores the relationship between stress and headache disorders. Workplace violence, a form of stress, is linked to an increased risk of headaches and sleep problems, highlighting the importance of stress management in headache prevention (Magnavita et al, 2022). Furthermore, migraine among medical students is associated with high levels of psychological stress, leading to moderate to severe disability and negatively impacting lifestyle and academic performance (Ragab et al, 2023).…”