We are delighted to announce that Dr Sudeash Rajakrishnan has successfully defended his Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) thesis, marking a significant achievement in his academic journey.

Thesis Summary

Dr. Sudeash’s thesis, titled “Organisational Safety Climate and Workplace Violence Among Primary Healthcare Workers: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study in Selangor, Malaysia”, addresses the pressing issue of workplace violence (WPV) in the healthcare sector. Conducted among 838 primary healthcare workers across nine district health offices in Selangor, the study revealed a WPV prevalence of 66.5%, with verbal abuse being the most common form (44.2%), followed by bullying (18.6%), physical violence (4.1%), and sexual harassment (1.7%). Notably, nurses were the most affected group, and the primary perpetrators were relatives of patients (38%), patients themselves (33.6%), and colleagues (25.1%). Alarmingly, 74.7% of these incidents went unreported, primarily due to the belief that no action would be taken. The study also found that female healthcare workers and those in districts with populations exceeding 500,000 faced higher risks of WPV. Importantly, a low level of organisational safety climate (OSC) was associated with increased WPV incidents. These findings underscore the need for interventions to enhance OSC to mitigate WPV among healthcare workers.

Candidate’s Achievements

Dr. Sudeash’s research contributes substantially to understanding the dynamics of workplace violence in primary healthcare settings. By highlighting the correlation between organisational safety climate and the prevalence of WPV, his work provides a foundation for developing targeted interventions to improve workplace safety and support for healthcare professionals.

Contribution to Public Health

The insights gained from Dr. Sudeash’s study have significant implications for public health policy and practice. Addressing workplace violence through improvements in the organizational safety climate can lead to safer working environments, better healthcare delivery, and enhanced well-being for healthcare workers, ultimately benefiting patient care and health outcomes.

Acknowledgements

We wish to acknowledge the invaluable guidance and mentorship provided by Dr Sudeash’s supervisors, Professor Dr Victor CW Hoe and Associate Professor Dr Nasrin Agha Mohammadi, whose expertise and support were instrumental in completing his thesis.

We extend our sincere gratitude to Professor Dr Anselm Su Ting, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UniMAS), and Dr Bala Murali Sundram, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, for their roles as external and internal examiners, respectively.

We would also like to thank the Committee of Examiners for their thorough evaluation and insightful feedback, including Professor Dr Jamunarani S Vadivelu, the Chairperson of the viva voce session; Professor Dr Shahrul Bahyah Kamaruzzaman, Deputy Dean (Postgraduate), Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya; and Associate Professor Dr Tharani Loganathan, Doctor of Public Health Coordinator.

Congratulations and Future Expectations

Congratulations once again to Dr. Sudeash Rajakrishnan on this remarkable achievement. We look forward to his continued contributions to public health research and practice, particularly in developing strategies to enhance workplace safety and support for healthcare workers.