Threats, verbal or even physical attacks… Doctors are increasingly victims of violence.
According to the latest report from the Doctors' Safety Observatory, published on Tuesday July 26, 1009 incidents were recorded in 2021. Figures up from the previous year, when 955 attacks were recorded.
Nevertheless, these data would be underestimated because only 32% of professionals file a complaint.
After a drop in incidences in 2018 and 2019 - the number of violence had fallen from 1,126 to 1,084 - the Covid-19 pandemic seems to have reversed the trend.
Of the 1009 incidents recorded in 2021, 59 of them would have "
originated in the health crisis
", indicates the document published by the National Council of the Order of Physicians (CNOM).
He mentions in particular the “
refusal to respect health rules
” such as the wearing of a mask or the limitation of the reception capacities of people in medical places.
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General practitioners, the most concerned
Among all health professionals, general practitioners are once again the most affected by violence (61%).
A figure down slightly compared to 2018 (70%).
In addition, in 53% of assault cases, women are the main victims.
In addition, other specialized doctors are affected by these incidents, such as cardiologists: 55 of them reported having suffered violence, compared to 21 in 2020. The figures have therefore more than doubled in one year.
The incidents suffered by doctors are multiple and of varying severity.
More than two-thirds (70%) of assaults are “
verbal and accompanied by threats
,” the report says.
Also, we observe 10% of thefts or attempted thefts, including 4% prescriptions.
The CNOM counts 9% physical violence and 8% vandalism.
These incidents, all of which are traumatic for physicians, lead to work interruptions.
58 of them were arrested following an attack in 2021.
Various motivations
The facts identified in the study take place mainly in urban areas, and more specifically in the city center.
It is important to specify that violence - in the context of medical practice - in the suburbs has increased, from 16% in 2020, to 22% in 2021. The Nord department (Hauts-de-France) is very concerned by the phenomenon because it has the highest rate of declarations with 129 incidents in 2020, compared to 139 in 2021.
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Regarding the profiles of the aggressors, they are the patients in 54% of the cases.
Among them, 2% owned a weapon.
Their motivations can be diverse: 37% act because of a "
reproach relating to care
", 17% because of a refusal to prescribe medication or a work stoppage and 9% carry out thefts. .
Not enough complaints
Despite the violence of certain attacks, only a third (32%) of doctors lodge a complaint, "
a proportion which drops to 20% among doctors who are victims of verbal attacks
", specifies the document.
That is to say that "
more than a third of professionals
" victims of physical violence "
have not filed a complaint
", he insists.
A finding that is difficult to accept for the College of Physicians, which encourages all practitioners to report incidents and file a complaint.
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The report also mentions the existence of “
vigilance-violence-security
” commissions, deployed in the departmental councils to support and assist the victims' efforts.
The CNOM recalls that any report allows “
to know the problems of insecurity encountered by doctors on the territory
”, “
to analyze the causes
” and “
to act with the public authorities
”.