Table 3

Characteristics of perpetrators associated with physical and non-physical violence: the Minnesota Nurses’ Study

Characteristics of perpetrators	Physical (specific event)		Physical (ongoing event)		Non-physical*
Characteristics of perpetrators	n	%	n	%	n	%
*Non-physical violence category combines threats, sexual harassment, and verbal abuse categories.
†Question denotes “check all that apply”; therefore, responses may total >100%.
‡This category is a summary of the next three.
Professional relation with perpetrator†
Patient/client	636	96.8	49	90.7	1467	67.2
Supervisor	6	0.9	0	0	226	10.4
Other employee	4	0.6	1	1.9	238	10.9
Doctor	3	0.5	0	0	279	12.8
Patient’s visitor	3	0.5	0	0	240	11.0
Subordinate	1	0.2	0	0	136	6.2
Other visitor	1	0.2	0	0	29	1.3
Other	0	0	0	0	46	2.1
Unsure	1	0.2	0	0	2	0.1
Missing (refused)	3	0.5	4	7.4	20 (1)	0.9 (0.1)
Perceived perpetrator impairment status†
Yes, any impairment‡	588	89.5	49	90.7	1120	51.3
Yes, disease/illness	525	79.9	47	87.0	898	41.2
Yes, prescribed medication	121	18.4	12	22.2	265	12.1
Yes, drugs/alcohol	56	8.5	4	7.4	341	15.6
Not impaired	56	8.5	4	7.4	1020	46.8
Unsure	11	1.7	1	1.9	247	11.3
Missing	3	0.5	4	7.4	26	1.2
Perpetrator gender†
Male	386	58.8	30	55.6	1594	73.1
Female	266	40.5	27	50.0	1105	50.6
Unsure	1	0.2	5	9.3	24	1.1
Missing (refused)	7	1.1	5	9.3	28 (1)	1.3 (0.1)
Perceived age of perpetrator†
<13 years	18	2.7	2	3.7	25	1.2
13–17 years	17	2.6	4	7.4	97	4.5
18–24 years	26	4.0	1	1.9	262	12.0
25–34 years	43	6.5	2	3.7	550	25.2
35–65 years	120	18.3	7	13.0	1186	54.4
66 or older	423	64.4	38	70.4	673	30.8
Unsure	7	1.1	1	1.9	65	3.0
Missing	4	0.6	5	9.3	20	0.9