Workplace Harassment and Health: A Long Term Follow up

Abstract

Objective: We examine relationships between workplace harassment (WH) and onset of health conditions over a 23-year period.

Methods: Participants were surveyed at seven points between 1997-2006 and again in 2020. Regression analyses (n = 921) assessed effects of chronic WH exposure on onset or recent health conditions by 2020.

Results: Growth mixture modeling revealed infrequent and chronic classes of generalized workplace harassment (GWH; 33.39% chronic) and sexual harassment (SH; 32.32% chronic). Prevalence of health conditions ranged from 3.71% for myocardial infarction to 43.06% for hypertension. Analysis via propensity score matching showed chronic WH class membership increased odds of coronary heart disease (GWH, odds ratio [OR] = 3.42, P < 0.05), arthritic/rheumatic conditions (SH, OR = 1.56, P < 0.05), and recent migraine (SH, OR = 1.68, P < 0.05).

Conclusions: Workplace harassment is associated with coronary heart disease, arthritic/rheumatic conditions, and migraine. Worker health can be protected through strengthening and enforcing organizational and social antiharassment policies and laws.