ABSTRACT
A public health approach to violence means thinking broadly, synthetically, and collaboratively and most importantly, from the point of view of prevention. Prevention activities attempt to accomplish three major goals: to deter predictable problems, to protect existing states of health, and to promote desired life objectives. A public health approach focuses on prevention activities that occur at three levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Tertiary prevention aims at reducing the negative consequences of whatever disease has occurred and is working its way through a population. Secondary prevention targets susceptible populations to alleviate conditions that are associated with acquiring the problem or disease. Primary prevention activities are directed at the general population with the goal of stopping the problem or disease before it starts. Violence occurs in the workplace, and efforts must be made to effect change by creating a "violence-free company culture".
