Bullying behavior and mental health in healthcare and educational sectors in Kaunas, Lithuania

• Authors: Lina Bernotaite , Vilija Malinauskiene , Palmira Leisyte

Abstracts

EN

Background Investigations on workplace bullying in the countries of Eastern Europe are yet not too extensive. The aim of the study has been to identify the most frequent bullying behavior and to explore the associations with psychological distress and post-traumatic stress symptoms in 3 female-dominated occupations in Kaunas, Lithuania. Material and Methods This crosssectional study employed 517 teachers (response rate (RR) = 71.3%), 174 family physicians (RR = 65.7%) and 311 internal medicine department nurses (RR = 69.1%). The twenty-two-item Negative Acts Questionnaire was used for measuring the exposure to bullying behavior, Goldberg 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) – psychological distress, Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) inventory – post-traumatic stress symptoms, Karasek & Theorell Demand-Control questionnaire – psychosocial job characteristics. The International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) SPSS Statistics version 20.0 was used for performing the statistical analysis. Logistic regression was used for assessing the associations among 22 negative acts as continuous variable and mental health outcomes adjusting to age, psychosocial factors at work and everyday life. Results Exposure to workplace bullying behavior on a weekly/daily basis was prevalent among family physicians at the rate of 19%, among nurses – 12.9%, among teachers – 4.1%. Even after adjustment to age, psychosocial job characteristics and threatening life events, the exposure to 22 negative acts as continuous variable was significantly associated with psychological distress and post-traumatic stress symptoms for all 3 occupations. Conclusions Health care sector is particularly affected by workplace bullying. Exposure to bullying behavior was associated with mental health problems for all 3 occupations. Preventive measures are necessary to improve psychosocial work environment conditions in healthcare and educational institutions in Lithuania. Med Pr 2017;68(3):307–314

Keywords

EN

nurses; teachers; psychological distress; bullying behavior; family physicians; negative acts

• Publisher: Instytut Medycyny Pracy im. prof. dra Jerzego Nofera w Łodzi
• Journal: Medycyna Pracy
• Year: 2017
• Volume: 68
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 307-314

Dates

published

2017

Contributors

author

Lina Bernotaite

• Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania (Institute of Cardiology, Department of Population Studies)

author

Vilija Malinauskiene

• Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania (Institute of Cardiology, Department of Population Studies)
• Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania (Academy of Medicine, Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine)
• Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania (Department of Health, Physical and Social Education)

author

Palmira Leisyte

• Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania (Academy of Medicine, Department of Internal Diseases)

Identifiers

DOI

10.13075/mp.5893.00513

Biblioteka Nauki

2164095