Objective   To study and compare the epidemiological features of workplace violence in a psychiatric hospital with a general hospital in Guangzhou.

  Methods   A retrospective study was carried out to look into the extent and nature of workplace violence encountered by health staff in two different kinds of hospitals at the same time. Based on the WHO's latest criteria, workplace violence was defined as any events occurred in hospital staff, who suffered violence at work during the past 12 months.

  Results   An incidence rate of 70.52% of workplace violence in the psychiatric hospital, compared with 69.73% in the general hospital.64.06% of psychiatric staff workers suffered workplace violence more than once, accounting for as high as 90.82% of psychiatric staff victims who suffered workplace violence time after time.49.45% of psychiatric staff workers compared with only 7.57% of staff workers in the general hospital stated that they were exposed to physical violence. The majority of the violence incidents involved patients in the psychiatric hospital, whilst staff workers in the general hospital reported a higher level of violence involving patients' reiatives. The main risk factors contributing to workplace violence in psychiatric staff would include: psychiatric disorders, unreasonable requirement from patients or their relatives or visitors, and late recovery as expected, although unreasonable requirement from patients or their relatives, late recovery as expected, and expensive hospital cost, were the first three risk factors in the general hospital. The cognizance about workplace violence, to health staff, especially those in the psychiatric hospital, was poor.

  Conclusion   Workplace violence was a more serious problem in the psychiatric hospital than in the general hospital. Comprehensive measures were asked for to prevent and control workplace violence.