title: One-year prospective study on the effect of workplace bullying on long-term sickness absence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effect of workplace bullying on long-term sickness absence using a prospective design.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Although bullying has been identified as a serious problem in the health care sector, little attention has been given to the possible effect of workplace bullying on long-term sickness absence and its implications.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consisted of 9949 employees (78.1% response rate) working in the elderly-care sector in 36 Danish municipalities. Long-term sickness absence was measured by linking a survey on work and health to the national register on social transfer payments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 1171 employees that were bullied at work in the past 12 months, 1.8% were frequently bullied and 7.3% were occasionally bullied. The risk of long-term sickness absence was higher for those frequently bullied even after adjusting for psychosocial work characteristics [rate ratio (RR) = 1.92, confidence interval (CI): 1.29-2.84; P < 0.05].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first prospective study that explored the effect of both frequent and occasional bullying on long-term sickness absence among health care employees. The effect of frequent bullying on long-term sickness absence was independent of the psychosocial work characteristics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Workplace bullying might impact negatively the quality of care and patients safety.
authors: Universidad Tecnológica del Centro, Departamento de Ciencias Administrativas y Gerenciales. Guacara, Venezuela. adryortegaro@gmail.com
authors: Adrian
authors: A
authors: Ortega
authors: Karl B
authors: KB
authors: Christensen
authors: Annie
authors: A
authors: Hogh
authors: Reiner
authors: R
authors: Rugulies
authors: Vilhelm
authors: V
authors: Borg
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D058445:Bullying; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult