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The role of poor sleep in the relation between workplace bullying/unwanted sexual attention and long-term sickness absence

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Abstract

Purpose

While exposure to bullying and unwanted sexual attention was previously found to increase the risk of sickness absence, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. Poor sleep can be a consequence of stressful exposures and a cause of poor health, and poor sleep is also a determinant of insufficient recovery. Therefore, the present study investigated whether poor sleep mediates and/or moderates the association between bullying and unwanted sexual attention, on the one hand, and long-term sickness absence (LTSA), on the other hand.

Methods

We used questionnaire data from 7650 individuals contributing with 15,040 2-year observation periods. Workplace bullying, unwanted sexual attention, disturbed sleep, and difficulties awakening were measured at three time points, and participants were followed in registers to measure the occurrence of LTSA, defined as ≥30 consecutive days of sickness absence during the subsequent 2 years.

Results

The odds of LTSA were significantly increased by workplace bullying (OR 1.77; 95 % CI 1.50–2.12) and unwanted sexual attention (OR 1.55; 95 % CI 1.06–2.29). Together, disturbed sleep and difficulties awakening mediated 12.8 % (95 % CI 8.1–19.8) of the association between bullying and long-term sickness absence, and 8.5 % (95 % CI −0.45 to 37.1) of the association between unwanted sexual attention and long-term sickness absence in the fully adjusted model. Neither disturbed sleep nor difficulties awakening moderated these associations.

Conclusion

As expected, bullying and unwanted sexual attention were prospectively associated with long-term sickness absence. Only a small part of this association was mediated by poor sleep.

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Acknowledgments

The study was funded by The Danish Working Environment Research Fund (Grant Number 20130023294) and The Danish Council for Independent Research (Grant Number 1319-00092). The funding organs played no role in the collection of data, formulation of study hypothesis, analyses, or interpretation of findings.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Health and Society, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, 1014, Copenhagen K, Denmark

    Kirsten Nabe-Nielsen, Matias Brødsgaard Grynderup, Theis Lange, Anne Helene Garde, Reiner Rugulies & Åse Marie Hansen

  2. Center for Statistical Science, Peking University, No. 5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100871, People’s Republic of China

    Theis Lange

  3. Danish Ramazzini Centre, Department of Occupational Medicine, University Research Clinic, Regional Hospital West Jutland, Gl. Landevej 61, 7400, Herning, Denmark

    Johan Hviid Andersen

  4. Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg University Hospital, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 2400, Copenhagen NV, Denmark

    Jens Peter Bonde

  5. Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, 1353, Copenhagen K, Denmark

    Paul Maurice Conway, Annie Høgh & Reiner Rugulies

  6. The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark

    Anne Helene Garde, Reiner Rugulies & Åse Marie Hansen

  7. Research Unit of Clinical Epidemiology, Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense M, Denmark

    Linda Kaerlev

  8. Center for Clinical Epidemiology, Odense University Hospital, Sdr. Boulevard 29, 5000, Odense C, Denmark

    Linda Kaerlev

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  1. Kirsten Nabe-Nielsen
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  2. Matias Brødsgaard Grynderup
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  9. Linda Kaerlev
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Correspondence to Kirsten Nabe-Nielsen.

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Nabe-Nielsen, K., Grynderup, M.B., Lange, T. et al. The role of poor sleep in the relation between workplace bullying/unwanted sexual attention and long-term sickness absence. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 89, 967–979 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-016-1136-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-016-1136-4

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