• Ross Touriel, Robert Dunne, Robert Swor, and Terry Kowalenko.
• Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, Rochester, Michigan.
• J Emerg Med. 2021 Apr 1; 60 (4): 554-559.

BackgroundEmergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel in the out-of-hospital setting continue to be at high risk for violence, in spite of continued research on a national scale.ObjectiveOur aim was to determine the prevalence and type of violence perpetrated against Southeast Michigan EMS personnel, and characteristics of victims in the out-of-hospital setting.MethodsEMS personnel from urban and suburban counties in Southeastern Michigan were surveyed online about their experience with violence, including description and outcomes, while working in the out-of-hospital setting within the previous 6 months. Gift card incentive and recruitment scripts were provided and read to participants. This was a pilot study that was limited to 150 respondents and ran for 3 months. Descriptive statistical analysis was done with an odds ratio, p value, and two-sample independent t-test analysis.ResultsThere were 137 surveys respondents. Most respondents, 75 of 128 (58.6%) reported being a victim of violence within the previous 6 months. Perpetrators were primarily patients and occasionally family members. Substance abuse or mental health issues were frequently associated with violence. Although not common, women reported violence perpetrated by a coworker more often than men (odds ratio 5.17; 95% confidence interval 1.67-16.0). Only 55 of 117 respondents (47.0%) felt that the training did an adequate job protecting them from violence.ConclusionsMore than one-half of responding EMS personnel experienced work-related violence within the previous 6 months in Southeast Michigan. This high rate of violence supports the need for additional research and policies that ensure the safety of EMS providers in this region.Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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