Workplace bullying: is there a difference by enterprise size?

OBJECTIVE: While relationships between working conditions, bullying and health issues have been proven, most studies have investigated these relationships in large enterprises (> 250 employees). Indeed, only a few studies have analyzed this issue in small firms, despite the fact that the latter differ from the former at multiple levels. Therefore, our objective was twofold: to assess whether the size of a firm had an impact on the frequency of workplace bullying and to identify whether the effects of bullying on workers' health differed according to the size of the company. METHOD: Data from the 2010 SUMER French periodical cross-sectional survey were analyzed (N = 31,420 for the present study). Bullying at work was measured based on nine possible hostile attitudes derived from the French version of the Leymann Inventory of Psychological Terror. Two other questions measured colleague-to-colleague verbal violence and sexual or physical assaults. Anxious or depressive episodes were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD). Other health issues were: perceived health status, sickness absence (at least one absence lasting more than eight days), and work injuries. RESULTS: Our findings show that bullying at work was less frequent in micro enterprises (< 10 employees). Anxiety/depression, perceived health status, sickness absence (at least one lasting more than eight days) were significantly associated with workplace bullying, but the effects of bullying were significantly higher in micro enterprises (statistical interaction). CONCLUSION: This study highlights how a firm's size influences workplace bullying and, in particular, the prevalence and consequences of bullying in micro enterprises. The implication and guidelines for practice are discussed.

Endocervical prostaglandin E2 gel for preinduction cervical softening.

A single, endocervical application of a new commercial preparation of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) gel, 0.5 mg of PGE2 in 2.5 ml (3 g), was evaluated for preinduction cervical softening. Safety and efficacy were assessed in a comparison with a 2.0 mg PGE2 vaginal tablet and placebo in normal nulliparous women at term, with low Bishop scores. Treatment was administered in randomized, double blind fashion. Overall success, defined as a progression in Bishop score of at least 3 points within 12 hours, was achieved in 22/40 (55%) of the gel group, 15/41 (37%) in the tablet treated women, and 8/40 (20%) in those receiving placebo. Of interest was the observation that of women with very unfavorable induction features (Bishop score 0-2), the cervical gel treatment resulted in a 6/8 (75%) success rate compared with 2/13 (15%) success for the vaginal tablet and 0/17 (0%) for placebo. In as much as a very low incidence of side effects accompanied this treatment scheme, expanded multi-center testing is recommended.

Perinatal effects of cervical vibration.

Possible perinatal effects of elective cervical vibration during first-stage labor were studied in 20 subjects. Assessment of fetal status was based on biophysical and biochemical methods, whereas at birth the infant was evaluated clinically and biochemically. With the reservation required by the small sample it is concluded that cervical vibration by itself is perinatally safe.

Prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma. Observations in irradiated patients.

Six women with clinical, biochemical and radiologic evidence of a prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma were irradiated with 50 Gy in 5 1/2 weeks. In 3 of the 6 patients, irradiation preceding maintenance bromocriptine medication was followed by a normalization of serum prolactin levels which resulted in a normal pregnancy in 2 and reestablishment of the menstrual cycle in the third. In 5 of 6 patients serum prolactin was substantially reduced by the end of the treatment, but without reaching normal levels, although no correlation was found between the degree of this decrease and the clinical result.