Journal des soins de santé des femmes
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Factors associated with sexual harassment towards women nurses: A systematic review

Reza Negarandeh1, Woldegebriel Gebregziabher Kahsay2,3*, Nahid Dehghan Nayeri4, Marzieh Hasanpour5, Shahzad Pashaeypoor2, Elham Navab6

Background: Harassment and violence against nurses are complex and persistent occupational hazards facing the nursing profession. Women nurses are susceptible to sexual harassment in the workplace. Objective: To identify factors associated with the sexual harassment of women nurses.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted using a literature search in PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, Web of Science, and Google Scholar up to December 2018.

Results: Sociodemographic characteristics associated with sexual harassment were women nurses being younger, having single marital status, living without children, having less work experience, and having assistant nurses in roles. The factors affecting sexual harassment as working conditions were working in closed hospital units such as orthopedic units, working both day and night shifts, having longer stay duration at the workplace, and being rural residents. The factors related to personal perception were having an attractive body shape and beauty. Interpersonal behavior factors were nurses being friendly, not being strict and fierce, being gentle, going away with, and being timid in behavior. Patient-related factors were positive attitudes toward patients’ gender equality and patients’ emotional care demands.

Conclusions: We described the factors associated with the sexual harassment of women nurses in terms of sociodemographic characteristics, working conditions, personal behavior, interpersonal relationships, and patientcare related factors. There is a need for a combination of preventive measures, socialization, counseling programs, and life skills education about personal and interpersonal relationships. Future studies on the effect of nurse educational status on sexual harassment, nurses’ responses, and reporting systems of sexual harassment. There was no funding for this systematic review.