Stalking of social healthcare workers: Preliminary results of a study conducted in Sardinia, Italy

Several studies have highlighted that particular social and professional categories are at higher risk of being victim of stalking. Physicians and healthcare workers in general are at risk of being harassed while practising their profession, especially by their patients; this risk has been shown to be higher for psychiatrists and psychotherapists. According to a recent study, 21% of psychiatrists has been a victim of stalking; length of stalking behaviour on healthcare workers varies from a few weeks to several years. Aim of the present work is to gain a better understanding and a highlight on the frequency with which stalking occurs toward social and healthcare workers of public health facilities in Sardinia. After a review of literature, an anonymous questionnaire, prepared ad-hoc, has been administered to a sample of 265 healthcare workers in Sardinia: out of the 210 who have answered, we have taken into consideration 187 healthcare workers, have excluded 23 operators (psychiatric rehabilitators, professional educators, social workers) and chosen to analyze victimization suffered by psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social healthcare workers. In our sample the subjects who reported harassments comparable to the crime of stalking are represented by 30 healthcare workers out of the total sample of 187 (16%). Females are the most frequently represented with a ratio of 23/30 (77%) compared to males 7/30 (23%). The risk of being a victim of harassment was higher for the group of psychiatrists and psychologists than for nurses. Among the victims, 18 were psychiatrists (60%), 3 psychologists (10%), and 9 nurses (30%). Healthcare professionals are at high risk of victimization. The main tool available to the services is the team approach to multi-problematic cases, avoiding isolation of the dyad designated operator-patient. The feeling of impotence and isolation that is frequent in the victims of stalking, as shown also in our sample, is highlighted by several studies in which 10% of the victims interviewed claims to have thoughts of suicide as a way out.