Psychological Distress, Fear of COVID-19, and Resilient Coping Abilities among Healthcare Workers in a Tertiary First-Line Hospital during the Coronavirus Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is causing a heavy burden in hospital healthcare workers (HCW) in terms of increased work, organizational changes, risk exposure, and social stigma. The present study aims at evaluating the psychological outcome among HCWs at the final stages of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional and survey-based study was conducted during June 2020 among 996 HCWs of the University Hospital of Padova. All the subjects completed questionnaires investigating the perception of risk of infecting or being infected by COVID-19, psychopathological variables, and coping abilities. Compared to physicians and healthcare assistants, nurses showed higher levels of depression (p = 0.002), insomnia (p < 0.001), and generalized anxiety (p = 0.001). Females reported increased concerns about the possibility of infecting others (p = 0.046), greater anxiety (p < 0.001), COVID-19 related fears (p < 0.001), depression (p < 0.001), and post-traumatic distress (p < 0.001) than males. Being employed in a COVID-19 unit, being transferred to other units, and living with children and the elderly were factors associated with higher levels of psychological distress. Greater coping abilities were detected in physicians, and in those HCWs employed in COVID units. Our findings evidenced that the psychological consequences of the pandemic were non-homogeneously distributed across HCWs categories and pointed out the presence of specific in-hospital and out-of-hospital risk factors.

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Prevalence of Thyroid Diseases in an Occupationally Radiation Exposed Group: A Cross-Sectional Study in a University Hospital of Southern Italy

Endocrine Metabolic & Immune Disorders - Drug Targets ◽

10.2174/1871530318666181102114627 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (6) ◽

pp. 803-808 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Luigi Vimercati ◽

Luigi De Maria ◽

Francesca Mansi ◽

Antonio Caputi ◽

Giovanni M. Ferri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ionizing Radiation ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Southern Italy ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Thyroid Diseases ◽

University Hospital ◽

Control Group ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Exposed Workers

Background: Thyroid diseases occur more frequently in people exposed to ionizing radiation, but the relationship between occupational exposure to ionizing radiation and thyroid pathologies still remains unclear. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of thyroid diseases in healthcare workers exposed to low-level ionizing radiation compared with a control group working at the University Hospital of Bari, Southern Italy, and living in the same geographical area, characterized by mild iodine deficiency. Methods: We ran a cross-sectional study to investigate whether healthcare workers exposed to ionizing radiation had a higher prevalence of thyroid diseases. Four hundred and forty-four exposed healthcare workers (241 more exposed, or “A Category”, and 203 less exposed, or “B Category”) and 614 nonexposed healthcare workers were enrolled during a routine examination at the Occupational Health Unit. They were asked to fill in an anamnestic questionnaire and undergo a physical examination, serum determination of fT3, fT4 and TSH, anti-TPO ab and anti-TG ab and ultrasound neck scan. Thyroid nodules were submitted to fine needle aspiration biopsy when indicated. Results: The prevalence of thyroid diseases was statistically higher in the exposed workers compared to controls (40% vs 29%, adPR 1.65; IC95% 1.34-2.07). In particular, the thyroid nodularity prevalence in the exposed group was approximately twice as high as that in the controls (29% vs 13%; adPR 2.83; IC95% 2.12-3.8). No statistically significant association was found between exposure to ionizing radiation and other thyroid diseases. Conclusion: In our study, mild ionizing radiation-exposed healthcare workers had a statistically higher prevalence of thyroid diseases than the control group. The results are likely due to a closer and more meticulous health surveillance programme carried out in the ionising radiation-exposed workers, allowing them to identify thyroid alterations earlier than non-exposed health staff.

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Psychological distress in patients undergoing urological surgery: A cross-sectional study

Journal of Clinical Urology ◽

10.1177/20514158211014069 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 205141582110140

Author(s):

Nuala Murray ◽

Charles O’Connor ◽

Rhona Dempsey ◽

Sean Liew ◽

Helen Richards ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Depression Scale ◽

University Hospital ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Hospital Anxiety ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Post Surgery ◽

Oncological Patients

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychological distress of urological and uro-oncological patients undergoing surgery. Methods: Patients who presented to Mercy University Hospital from October 2019–May 2020 were consecutively recruited. Demographic and clinical characteristics including age, gender, marital status, type of surgery (uro-oncology or general urology), endoscopy or open surgery were gathered. Mood was evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale prior to admission, prior to discharge and 6 weeks post-surgery. Results: A total of 118 participants (79.7% male) completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale prior to admission, prior to discharge and at 6 weeks post-surgery. Forty patients (33.9%) underwent uro-oncology-related surgery. At pre-admission 39 patients (33%) fell into a possible-probable clinical category for anxiety and 15 (12.7%) for depression. Older patients had significantly lower anxiety levels than younger patients ( p⩽0.01). There were no differences between patients undergoing uro-oncology or more general urology surgery and levels of anxiety or depression. Repeated measures analysis of variance with age as a covariate indicated no significant differences in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale anxiety scores over time. There was a statistically significant reduction in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale depression scores over the three assessment time points ( p=0.004). Conclusion: Over one-third of patients were experiencing moderate to severe levels of psychological distress pre-surgery – higher than levels previously reported in uro-oncological patients. Surprisingly, there was no difference in anxiety and depression scores in uro-oncology and urology patients. Psychological distress in both uro-oncology and more general urology patients should be considered in the surgical setting. Level of evidence Moderate

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Burnout of Healthcare Workers amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Japanese Cross-Sectional Survey

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18052434 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (5) ◽

pp. 2434

Author(s):

Yoshito Nishimura ◽

Tomoko Miyoshi ◽

Hideharu Hagiya ◽

Yoshinori Kosaki ◽

Fumio Otsuka

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Workers ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Healthcare Delivery ◽

General Medicine ◽

Maslach Burnout Inventory ◽

University Hospital ◽

Survey Study ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Past

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic has drastically changed how we live and work. Amid the prolonged pandemic, burnout of the frontline healthcare professionals has become a significant concern. We conducted a cross-sectional survey study to provide data about the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and the prevalence of burnout in healthcare professionals in Japan. Healthcare workers in a single Japanese national university hospital participated in the survey, including basic demographics, whether a participant engaged in care of COVID-19 patients in the past 2 weeks and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Of those, 25.4% fully answered the survey; 33.3% were doctors and 63.6% were nurses, and 36.3% engaged in care of COVID-19 patients in the past 2 weeks. Compared to those belonging to General Medicine, those in Emergency Intensive Care Unit were at higher risk of burnout (odds ratio (OR), 6.7; 95% CI, 1.1–42.1; p = 0.031). Of those who engaged in care of COVID-19 patients, 50% reported burnout while 6.1% did not (OR 8.5, 95% CI; 1.3–54.1; p = 0.014). The burnout of healthcare workers is a significant concern amid the pandemic, which needs to be addressed for sustainable healthcare delivery.

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Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Related to HIV Stigma and Discrimination Among Healthcare Workers in Oman

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal [SQUMJ] ◽

10.18295/squmj.2020.20.01.005 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

pp. 29

Author(s):

Samir Shah ◽

Ali Elgalib ◽

Adil Al-Wahaibi ◽

Maha Al-Fori ◽

Prasanna Raju ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Work Experience ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Social Stigma ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

High Rate ◽

Access To Health Services ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Attitudes And Practices ◽

Stigma And Discrimination ◽

Knowledge Attitudes And Practices

Objectives: Stigma and discrimination undermine the quality of life of people with HIV and their access to health services. This study aimed to assess HIV-related knowledge, attitudes and practices among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Oman. Methods: This cross-sectional study took place between July and November 2016. A questionnaire was distributed to 1,400 government HCWs to determine HIV-related knowledge, attitudes and practices. Results: A total of 1,281 HCWs participated (response rate = 92%). Routine tasks, such as dressing wounds, drawing blood and touching clothes, were a cause of concern for 24–52% of HCWs. Only 69% correctly answered questions regarding the transmission of HIV via eating/drinking and mosquito bites. Compared to other HCWs, doctors had significantly higher knowledge (mean = 0.46, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.19 to 0.73; P <0.001), attitude (mean = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.31 to 1.24; P = 0.001) and practice (mean = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.59 to 2.55; P <0.001) scores. Expatriates also scored significantly higher in knowledge (mean = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.93 to 1.23; P <0.001), attitude (mean = 1.23, 95% CI: 0.98 to 1.48; P <0.001) and practice (mean = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.82 to 1.34; P <0.001) compared to Omani nationals. Finally, those with >15 years’ work experience scored significantly higher on knowledge (mean = −0.60, 95% CI: −1.12 to −0.08; P = 0.025) and attitude (mean = −0.99, 95% CI: −1.87 to −0.10; P = 0.029) compared to those with less experience. Conclusion: The high rate of HIV-related stigma among HCWs in Oman should be rectified in order to achieve the 90-90-90 target set by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.Keywords: HIV; Social Stigma; Social Discrimination; Knowledge; Attitude; Professional Practice; Healthcare Providers; Oman.

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Risk perception and psychological state of healthcare workers in referral hospitals during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, Uganda

BMC Psychology ◽

10.1186/s40359-021-00706-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Richard Migisha ◽

Alex Riolexus Ario ◽

Benon Kwesiga ◽

Lilian Bulage ◽

Daniel Kadobera ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Risk Perception ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

General Health Questionnaire ◽

Multivariable Analysis ◽

Well Being ◽

Psychological State ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Referral Hospitals

Abstract Background Safeguarding the psychological well-being of healthcare workers (HCWs) is crucial to ensuring sustainability and quality of healthcare services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, HCWs may be subject to excessive mental stress. We assessed the risk perception and immediate psychological state of HCWs early in the pandemic in referral hospitals involved in the management of COVID-19 patients in Uganda. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey in five referral hospitals from April 20–May 22, 2020. During this time, we distributed paper-based, self-administered questionnaires to all consenting HCWs on day shifts. The questionnaire included questions on socio-demographics, occupational behaviors, potential perceived risks, and psychological distress. We assessed risk perception towards COVID-19 using 27 concern statements with a four-point Likert scale. We defined psychological distress as a total score > 12 from the 12-item Goldberg’s General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). We used modified Poisson regression to identify factors associated with psychological distress. Results Among 335 HCWs who received questionnaires, 328 (98%) responded. Respondents’ mean age was 36 (range 18–59) years; 172 (52%) were male. The median duration of professional experience was eight (range 1–35) years; 208 (63%) worked more than 40 h per week; 116 (35%) were nurses, 52 (14%) doctors, 30 (9%) clinical officers, and 86 (26%) support staff. One hundred and forty-four (44%) had a GHQ-12 score > 12. The most common concerns reported included fear of infection at the workplace (81%), stigma from colleagues (79%), lack of workplace support (63%), and inadequate availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) (56%). In multivariable analysis, moderate (adjusted prevalence ratio, [aPR] = 2.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2–4.0) and high (aPR = 3.8, 95% CI 2.0–7.0) risk perception towards COVID-19 (compared with low-risk perception) were associated with psychological distress. Conclusions Forty-four percent of HCWs surveyed in hospitals treating COVID-19 patients during the early COVID-19 epidemic in Uganda reported psychological distress related to fear of infection, stigma, and inadequate PPE. Higher perceived personal risk towards COVID-19 was associated with increased psychological distress. To optimize patient care during the pandemic and future outbreaks, workplace management may consider identifying and addressing HCW concerns, ensuring sufficient PPE and training, and reducing infection-associated stigma.

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Investigating Psychological Differences between Nurses and Other Healthcare Workers from Asia-Pacific Region during the Early Phase of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Machine Learning Approach (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.32647 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

YanHong Dong ◽

Mei Chun Yeo ◽

Rivan Danuaji ◽

Thang H Nguyen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Machine Learning ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Asia Pacific ◽

Pacific Region ◽

Asia Pacific Region ◽

Psychological Outcome ◽

Psychological Differences ◽

Medical Healthcare

BACKGROUND As the pandemic evolves, frontline work challenges continue to impose significant psychological impact on nurses. However, there is a lack of data how nurses fared compared to other healthcare workers in Asia-Pacific region. OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate 1) psychological differences between nurses, doctor and non-medical healthcare workers, and 2) psychological outcome characteristics of nurses from different Asia-Pacific countries. METHODS Decision-tree type machine learning models (LIghtGBM, Gradientboost, and RandomForest) were adopted to predict psychological impact on nurses. The SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) values of these models were extracted to identify the distinctive psychological distress characteristic. RESULTS Nurses had relatively higher percentages of normal or no-change in psychological distress symptoms relative to other healthcare workers (86.3% - 96.8% vs 80.7% - 92.3%). Among those without psychological symptoms, nurses constituted a higher proportion than doctors and non-medical healthcare workers (40.8%, 25.8%, and 33.4%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Different contexts, cultures, and points in pandemic curve may have contributed to differing patterns of psychological outcomes amongst nurses in various Asia-Pacific countries. It is important that all healthcare workers practise self-care and render peer support to bolster psychological resilience for effective coping. CLINICALTRIAL Not applicable

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Sense of Coherence and Psychological Distress Among Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12176855 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (17) ◽

pp. 6855 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Juan Gómez-Salgado ◽

Sara Domínguez-Salas ◽

Macarena Romero-Martín ◽

Mónica Ortega-Moreno ◽

Juan Jesús García-Iglesias ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Sense Of Coherence ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Front Line ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Test Analysis ◽

Health Crisis ◽

Bonferroni Test

The health crisis triggered by COVID-19 and the preventive measures taken to control it have caused a strong psychological impact on the population, especially on healthcare professionals. Risk exposure, uncertainty about how to approach the disease, care and emotional overburden, lack of resources, or unclear ever-changing protocols are, among others, psychological distress risk factors for the healthcare professionals who have faced this dramatic scenario on the front line. On the other hand, the Sense of Coherence (SOC) is a competence that could help these professionals perceive the situation as understandable, manageable, and meaningful, facilitating the activation of their resilience. This work aims to describe the levels of psychological distress and SOC of healthcare professionals during the crisis caused by COVID-19, the relationship between both variables, and their health status. A cross-sectional descriptive study with a sample of 1459 currently active healthcare workers was developed. GHQ-12 and SOC-13 were used for data collection. Bivariate analyses were performed, including Chi-Squared Test, Student’s T-Test, Analysis of Variance—ANOVA (with Bonferroni test for multiple comparisons), and correlations. Cohen’s d or Cramer’s V effect size measurements were also provided. The results showed that 80.6% of healthcare professionals had psychological distress, and the mean score on the SOC-13 scale was 62.8 points (SD = 12.02). Both psychological distress and SOC were related to the presence of COVID-19 symptoms, as well as with contact history. Professionals with psychological distress showed a lower SOC. Taking care of the mental health of healthcare professionals is essential to effectively cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the psychological impact of working in the current menacing scenario, people on the front line against the disease should be protected, minimizing risks, providing them with resources and support, and fostering their coping skills.

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Quality of life in swallowing of the elderly patients affected by stroke

Arquivos de Gastroenterologia ◽

10.1590/s0004-2803.2017v54n1-05 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 54 (1) ◽

pp. 27-32 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Émerson Soares PONTES ◽

Ana Karênina de Freitas Jordão do AMARAL ◽

Flávia Luiza Costa do RÊGO ◽

Elma Heitmann Mares AZEVEDO ◽

Priscila Oliveira Costa SILVA

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Life Quality ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

The Elderly ◽

University Hospital ◽

Feeding Time ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Significance Level ◽

The Impact

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND The elderly population faces many difficulties as a result of the aging process. Conceptualize and evaluate their life quality is a challenge, being hard to characterize the impact on daily activities and on functional capacity. The stroke is one of the most disabling neurological diseases, becoming a public health problem. As an aggravating result, there is dysphagia, a disorder that compromises the progression of the food from the mouth to the stomach, causing clinical complications to the individual. OBJECTIVE Characterize the life quality of the elderly swallowing affected by stroke. METHODS Cross-sectional study conducted at the University Hospital, attended by 35 elderly with stroke, being 19 women and 16 men, with age between 60 and 90 years old, that self-reported satisfactory overall clinical picture. It was applied the Quality of Life Swallowing protocol. The data were statistically analyzed, by means of ANOVA tests, Spearman correlation, t test, with significance level of 5%. RESULTS The mean age was 69.5 years; as for the scores obtained by the 35 participants in the 11 domains of the protocol, it was observed a change in score indicating severe to moderate impact in quality of life related to self-reported swallowing (31.8% to 59.5%); the domain that most interfered was the feeding time (31.8%). CONCLUSION Elderly affected by stroke that present dysphagia has low scores in quality of life related to swallowing.

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Protecting the front line: a cross-sectional survey analysis of the occupational factors contributing to healthcare workers’ infection and psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in the USA

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-042752 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. e042752 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Tsion Firew ◽

Ellen D Sano ◽

Jonathan W Lee ◽

Stefan Flores ◽

Kendrick Lang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Anxiety Symptoms ◽

Front Line ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Burn Out ◽

The Usa

ObjectiveThe COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with significant occupational stressors and challenges for front-line healthcare workers (HCWs), including COVID-19 exposure risk. Our study sought to assess factors contributing to HCW infection and psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in the USA.DesignWe conducted a cross sectional survey of HCWs (physicians, nurses, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), non-clinical staff) during May 2020. Participants completed a 42-item survey assessing disease transmission risk (clinical role, work environment, availability of personal protective equipment) and mental health (anxiety, depression and burn-out).SettingThe questionnaire was disseminated over various social media platforms. 3083 respondents from 48 states, the District of Columbia and US territories accessed the survey.ParticipantsUsing a convenience sample of HCWs who worked during the pandemic, 3083 respondents accessed the survey and 2040 participants completed at least 80% of the survey.Primary outcomePrevalence of self-reported COVID-19 infection, in addition to burn-out, depression and anxiety symptoms.ResultsParticipants were largely from the Northeast and Southern USA, with attending physicians (31.12%), nurses (26.80%), EMTs (13.04%) with emergency medicine department (38.30%) being the most common department and specialty represented. Twenty-nine per cent of respondents met the criteria for being a probable case due to reported COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test. HCWs in the emergency department (31.64%) were more likely to contract COVID-19 compared with HCWs in the ICU (23.17%) and inpatient settings (25.53%). HCWs that contracted COVID-19 also reported higher levels of depressive symptoms (mean diff.=0.31; 95% CI 0.16 to 0.47), anxiety symptoms (mean diff.=0.34; 95% CI 0.17 to 0.52) and burn-out (mean diff.=0.54; 95% CI 0.36 to 0.71).ConclusionHCWs have experienced significant physical and psychological risk while working during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings highlight the urgent need for increased support for provider physical and mental health well-being.

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Profile of the cases of violence reported in university hospital

Revista de Enfermagem UFPE on line ◽

10.5205/reuol.1025-8513-1-le.0403201016 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

pp. 1457

Author(s):

Aline Do Nascimento Silva ◽

Eduardo Tavares Gomes ◽

Renata Livia Alves de Souza Melo ◽

Rutheanne Melo de Siqueira ◽

Lucileide Silva Fonteles

Keyword(s):

The Elderly ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

University Hospital ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Specific Training ◽

Recording Instrument ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Ethics Research ◽

The Social ◽

Lack Of Commitment

ABSTRACTObjective: to elucidate the situation of the notification of cases of violence in a university in a university hospital in Recife at the beginning of training actions and professional awareness of this issue. Method: an observational cross-sectional study as conducted. Data collection was done through referrals made to the Social Service of Clinics Hospital of the Federal University of Pernambuco (HC/UFPE), by reports of professional by itself, a recording instrument from the hospital and copies of the notification form of cases. The project was approved by the Ethics Research Center of Health Sciences of the Federal University of Pernambuco/UFPE with protocol number 13/10. All cases were considered of September 2006, when began using the Notification Form from the Ministry of Health until December 2008. Results: the most notification was cases against the child (n=20, 46,51%), while there isn’t registration of cases against the elderly. Professionals who often made the notification were doctors (n=22, 51.16%) and psychologists (n=12, 27,91%). The Notification Form was used in only 41,86% of cases. Conclusion: the data underscore the under-reporting. Further research should verify the cause of poor service (lack of commitment, lack of specific training, among others) so that they can perform actions to make better situation. Descriptors: violence; epidemiology; public health; mandatory reporting.RESUMOObjetivo: elucidar a situação da notificação dos casos de violência em um hospital universitário do Recife no inicio das ações de capacitação e sensibilização dos profissionais para essa questão. Método: foi realizado um estudo observacional do tipo corte transversal. A coleta de dados foi realizada a partir dos encaminhamentos realizados para o Serviço Social do Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco/HC/UFPE por meio de relatórios dos profissionais, instrumento de registro próprio do hospital e cópias das Fichas de Notificação dos casos. O projeto foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa do Centro de Ciências da Saúde/UFPE com número de protocolo 13/10. Foram considerados todos os casos de setembro de 2006, quando iniciou o uso da Ficha de Notificação do Ministério da Saúde até dezembro 2008. Resultados: a maior notificação foi de casos contra à criança (n=20, 46,51%), ao passo que não consta registro de casos contra idosos. Os profissionais que mais notificaram foram os médicos (n=22, 51,16%) e os psicólogos (n=12, 27,91%). A Ficha de Notificação foi usada em apenas 41,86% dos casos. Conclusão: os dados ressaltam a sub-notificação. Pesquisas posteriores devem verificar a causa da pouca notificação (falta de compromisso, falta de formação específica, entre outras), para que se possam realizar medidas para melhorar o quadro. Descritores: violência; epidemiologia; saúde pública; notificação de abuso.RESUMENObjetivo: conocer la situación de la notificación de casos de violencia en un hospital universitario en Recife al inicio de las acciones de formación y sensibilización del profesional de esta cuestión. Método: se realizó un estudio observacional, transversal. Recolección de datos se realiza através de consultas que el Servicio Social del Hospital de Clínicas, Universidad Federal de Pernambuco/HC/UFPE por los informes de profesionales de por sí, un instrumento de registro del hospital y copia del Formulario de Notificación de los casos. El proyecto fue aprobado por el Centro de Ética de la Investigación de las Ciencias de la Salud/UFPE com el número de protocolo 13/10. Se consideraron todos los casos de septiembre de 2006, cuando comenzó a usar el Formulario de Notificación del Ministerio de Salud hasta diciembre de 2008. Resultados: la mayoría de los casos de notificación fue contra el niño (n=20, 46,51%), mientras que no hay registro de casos en contra de los ancianos. Los profesionales que a menudo hace la notificación eran médicos (n=22, 51,16%) y los psicólogos (n=12, 27,91%). El Formulario de Notificación se utilizó en sólo 41,86% de los casos. Conclusión: los datos ponen de relieve la subnotificación. Las investigations futuras deberían verificar la causa de la notificación de baja (falta de compromiso, la falta de formación específica, entre otros) de modo que puedan llevar a cabo acciones para mejorar la situación. Descriptores: violencia; epidemiología; salud pública; notificatión obligatoria.

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