Correction: Workplace violence in a conflict zone: a study from Syria’s healthcare frontline

Correction: BMC Public Health 26, 485 (2026)

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-26102-9

Following publication of the original article [1], the authors identified errors in the published article and wish to correct the record as outlined below.

Abstract

In the Methods section of the abstract, the second to last sentence currently reads:

“The main outcome measures were the prevalence of psychological, physical, and sexual harassment in the last year, and factors associated with experiencing violence.”

The sentence should read:

“The main outcome measures were the prevalence of verbal and physical workplace violence in the last year and factors associated with experiencing violence.”

In the Results section of the abstract, the first sentence currently reads: “The overall prevalence of exposure to at least one form of WPV was 64.78%. Psychological violence was most common (55.3%), followed by physical violence (19.8%) and sexual harassment (9.5%).”

The sentence should read:

“The overall prevalence of exposure to verbal and/or physical workplace violence was 64.7%. Verbal violence was the most common form (61.9%), followed by physical violence (13.7%).”

Keywords

One of the keywords is currently "Psychological violence". This should be "Verbal Violence".

Methods

In the Ethical Considerations section on page 3 the last sentence currently reads: "Submission of the completed Google Form was considered implied consent."

This sentence should read:

"All participants provided informed consent by clicking a checkbox to indicate their agreement on the online form prior to commencing the survey."

Results

On Page 4, the paragraph above Table 2 currently begins with the sentence: "Among participants who experienced physical violence (n=114), the most common immediate response was self-defense (50.0%), followed by requesting time off (29.8%), seeking help from senior staff or colleagues (28.1%), and leaving the area (26.3%)."

This should read:

"Among participants who experienced physical violence (n=114), the most common immediate response was self-defense (50.0%), followed by asking the perpetrator/person to stop (29.8%), seeking help from colleagues/staff (28.1%), and informing a supervisor/manager (26.3%)."

On Page 4, the paragraph under Table 3 currently begins with the sentence:

"Among those exposed to verbal violence (n=515), the most frequently reported responses were requesting time off (42.3%) and ignoring the incident (33.2%)".

This sentence should read:

"Among those exposed to verbal violence (n=515), the most frequently reported responses were asking the perpetrator/person to stop (42.3%) and ignoring the incident (33.2%)".

On Page 6, under the header "Prevalence of and factors associated with workplace violence" one bullet point currently reads: "Age: Compared to the reference group of workers aged 50 and older, those in their 40s had 2.4 times the odds of experiencing violence (AOR=2.402; 95%

CI: 1.092–5.285; p=0.029). While the odds were also elevated for those in their 30s (AOR=2.648), this association did not reach statistical significance at the conventional alpha level (p=0.061)".

This should read:

"Age: Compared with participants aged ≥40 years, participants aged 30–39 years had 2.4 times the odds of experiencing violence (AOR=2.402; 95% CI: 1.092–5.285; p=0.029). While the odds were also elevated among participants aged 20–29 years (AOR=2.648), this association did not reach statistical significance at the conventional alpha level (p=0.061)".

TABLES

In Table 3, one of the responses under the left hand column “Immediate response” is currently listed as “Requested time off”. This should read "Asked the perpetrator/person to stop".

In Table 9, the age categories in the left hand column are incorrect. They are originally in the following order and categories:

50s and older

40s

30s

20s

These categories should be corrected to:

≥40 years

30-39 years

20-29 years

<20 years