Bullying at work and onset of a major depressive episode among Danish female eldercare         workers.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to analyze whether exposure to workplace bullying among 5701 female         employees in the Danish eldercare sector increases the risk of onset of a major depressive episode (MDE).


METHODS
Participants received questionnaires in 2004-2005 and again in 2006-2007. MDE was assessed with the Major         Depression Inventory. We examined baseline bullying as a predictor of onset of MDE at follow-up using multiple logistic         regression. We further conducted a cross-sectional analysis at the time of follow-up among participants who at baseline         were free of bullying, MDE, and signs of reduced psychological health. Finally, we analyzed reciprocal effects, by         using baseline bullying and baseline MDE as predictors for bullying and MDE at follow-up.


RESULTS
Onset rates of MDE         in the groups of no, occasional, and frequent bullying were 1.5%, 3.4%, and 11.3%, respectively. Odds ratios (OR) for         onset of MDE were 2.22 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.31-3.76] for occasional bullying and OR 8.45 (95% CI         4.04-17.70) for frequent bullying, after adjustment for covariates. In the cross-sectional analysis, OR were 6.29         (95% CI 2.52-15.68) for occasional bullying and 20.96 (95% CI 5.80-75.80) for frequent bullying. In the         analyses on reciprocal effects, both baseline bullying [occasional: OR 2.12 (95% CI 1.29-3.48) and frequent: OR         6.39 (95% CI 3.10-13.17)] and baseline MDE [OR 7.18 (95% CI 3.60-14.30] predicted MDE at follow-up.         However, only baseline bullying [occasional: OR 7.44 (95% CI 5.94-9.31) and frequent: OR 11.91 (95% CI         7.56-18.77)] but not baseline MDE [OR 0.93 (95% CI 0.47-1.84)] predicted bullying at follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Workplace bullying increased the risk of MDE among female eldercare workers. MDE did not predict risk of         bullying. Eliminating bullying at work may be an important contribution to the prevention of MDE.
National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark. rer@nrcwe.dk
Reiner
R
Rugulies
Ida E H
IE
Madsen
Pernille U
PU
Hjarsbech
Annie
A
Hogh
Vilhelm
V
Borg
Isabella G
IG
Carneiro
Birgit
B
Aust
D001007:Anxiety; D058445:Bullying / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008603:Mental Health; D016272:Occupational Health; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016387:Women's Health