Effects of a work schedule with abated quick returns on insomnia, sleepiness and work-related fatigue: Results from a large-scale cluster randomized controlled trial.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of a work schedule with abated quick returns (i.e., >11 hours between two shifts) on insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and work-related fatigue compared to a shift schedule maintaining the usual number of quick returns. METHODS: A two-armed cluster randomized controlled trial including 66 units was conducted at a university hospital in Norway. Units with healthcare workers on rotating shift schedules were randomly assigned to a shift schedule with abated quick returns (intervention) or to continue with a schedule including quick returns as usual (control) for six months. Questionnaires assessed symptoms of insomnia (Bergen Insomnia Scale), daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale), and work-related fatigue (Revised Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory) at baseline and towards the end of the intervention. Data was analyzed using multilevel linear mixed-effects models, and Cohen's d was used to calculate the effect size between groups. RESULTS: Overall, 1314 healthcare workers (85.2% female) completed the baseline questionnaire (response rate 49.1%), and 552 completed the follow-up questionnaire. The intervention reduced quick returns from an average of 13.2 (SD=8.7) to 6.7 (SD=6.0), while the control group's average remained relatively unchanged from 13.2 (SD=8.7) to 12.0 (SD=9.3). Results showed a small improvement in symptoms of insomnia (BIS; d=-0.13, p=0.022) and daytime sleepiness (ESS; d=-0.14, p=0.013) in favor of the intervention. No effects were observed on work-related fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: Reducing the number of quick returns resulted in improvements in insomnia and daytime sleepiness. The findings highlight the importance of sufficient rest time in the work schedule of healthcare workers.

Leaders as the targets of workplace bullying - prevalence and outcomes.

PURPOSE: Bullying of leaders is an underexplored topic in organizational research. To fill this knowledge gap, the aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of bullying of leaders and to examine whether holding a formal leadership position influences the relationships between exposure to bullying and the outcomes job satisfaction and depression. METHODS: Data from two separate surveys were employed: (1) A cross-sectional occupation specific sample comprising 678 Norwegian child welfare social workers; (2) A nationally representative probability sample of 1,608 Norwegian employees with two time-points (6 months' time-lag). RESULTS: Analyzing multiple indicators of workplace bullying, holding a formal leadership position had no impact on the initial risk of being bullied. Analyses of prospective data showed that leaders report a somewhat stronger increase in levels of bullying over time compared to non-leaders, although the effect size was small. With exception of a small buffering effect on the cross-sectional association between exposure to bullying behaviors and job satisfaction in the second sample, holding a leadership position had no effect on the strength of the association between bullying and outcomes. CONCLUSION: The findings show that leaders have the same risk of being bullied and are influenced by bullying in roughly the same manner as non-leaders. Organizational measures and interventions against bullying should therefore consider leaders as a risk group in line with other employees.

Simulated quick returns in a laboratory context and effects on sleep and pre-sleep arousal between shifts: a crossover controlled trial.

This trial presents a laboratory model investigating the effect of quick returns (QRs, <11 h time off between shifts) on sleep and pre-sleep arousal. Using a crossover design, 63 participants worked a simulated QR condition (8 h time off between consecutive evening- and day shifts) and a day-day (DD) condition (16 h time off between consecutive day shifts). Participants slept at home and sleep was measured using a sleep diary and sleep radar. Compared to the DD condition, the QR condition reduced subjective and objective total sleep time by approximately one hour (both p < .001), reduced time in light- (p < .001), deep- (p = .004), rapid eye movement (REM, p < .001), percentage of REM sleep (p = .023), and subjective sleep quality (p < .001). Remaining sleep parameters and subjective pre-sleep arousal showed no differences between conditions. Results corroborate previous field studies, validating the QR model and indicating causal effects of short rest between shifts on common sleep parameters and sleep architecture.

This trial proposes a laboratory model to investigate the consequences of quick returns (QRs, <11h time off between shifts) on subjective/objective sleep and pre-sleep arousal. QRs reduced total sleep time, light-, deep-, REM sleep, whereas pre-sleep arousal was unaffected. Results emphasise the importance of ensuring sufficient rest time between shifts.Abbreviation: QR: Quick return; DD: Day-day; NREM: Non-rapid eye movement; REM: Rapid eye movement; PSG: Polysomnography; TIB: Time in bed; SOL: Sleep onset latency; WASO: Wake after sleep onset; TST: Total sleep time; EMA: Early morning awakening; PSAS: Pre-Sleep Arousal Scale; MEQ: Morning-Evening Questionnaire; LMM: Linear mixed model; EMM: Estimated marginal mean; SD: Standard deviation; SE: Standard error; d: Cohens' d; h: hours; m: minutes.

Impact of psychosocial work factors on risk of medically certified sick leave due to common mental disorders: a nationwide prospective cohort study of Norwegian home care workers.

BACKGROUND: The Norwegian home care services experience a high level of sick leave, a large proportion of which is due to common mental disorders. A substantial number of such cases can be attributed to psychosocial factors at work, but more knowledge about occupation-specific risk factors is needed to develop targeted preventive measures to reduce sick leave levels. The aim of this study is to identify the most prominent psychosocial work factors influencing the risk of sick leave spells due to common mental disorders. METHODS: Employees from a random sample of 130 Norwegian home care services (N = 1.819) completed a baseline survey on 15 psychosocial work factors. Participants were subsequently followed up for 26 months using registry data on sick leave. The outcome measure was the number of medically certified sick leave spells due to common mental disorders during follow-up in the Norwegian social insurance database. Incidence risk ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using negative binomial regression with robust standard errors. RESULTS: Emotional dissonance (IRR 1.30, 95% CI 1.05-1.60) and emotional demands (IRR 1.35, 95% CI 1.14-1.58) were associated with an excess risk of sick leave, while control over work pacing (IRR 0.78, 95% CI 0.62-0.98) was associated with a reduced risk. An estimated 30% (95% CI 8.73-48.82) of sick leave cases were attributable to emotional dissonance and 27% (95% CI 4.80-46.33) were attributable to emotional demands. Control over work pacing was estimated to have prevented 20% (95% CI 1.32-37.78) of the sick leave cases. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that emotional dissonance and emotional demands were robust risk factors for sick leave due to common mental disorders, and that control of work pacing constituted a robust protective factor against sick leave.

Pain, Conflicted Feelings About Work, and Sickness Absence: A Prospective Study of the Effects of Number of Pain Sites and Role Conflicts on Medically Certified Sickness Absence.

We investigated associations between the number of pain sites (NPS) and role conflict with medically certified, pain-related sickness absence (SA) in employees of Norwegian enterprises (N = 5,654). Latent profile analyses identified exposure profiles based on 3 types of role conflict (work-role conflict, work-life conflict, and emotional dissonance). Multinomial logistic regressions estimated effects on absence (short-term absence of less than 56 days, long-term absence of more than 56 days) during 1 year after survey. Effects of the NPS on absence were compared across exposure profiles. Results suggested the NPS and all types of role conflict predicted absences separately. Mutually adjusted regressions revealed unique contributions of the NPS to the short-term and long-term absence (odds ratio [OR] 1.24, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18, 1.30 and OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.37, 1.66) and of work-role conflict to the short-term absence (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.03, 1.35). Latent profile analyses identified 4 exposure profiles ("1 unconflicted," "2 dissonant, otherwise medium," "3 conflicted, medium dissonance," "4 conflicted and dissonant"). Profiles 3 and 4 exhibited elevated risk of SA, with the strongest baseline-adjusted effects for profile 4 (short-term absence OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.40, 2.57, long-term absence OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.15, 3.31). Effects of the NPS on short-term absence were stronger for profile 4 versus profile 1 (OR 1.38 vs 1.24, P < .001). Our findings suggest that addressing role conflicts may prevent pain-related absence, possibly also for individuals already experiencing pain. PERSPECTIVE: This article elucidates the connections between role conflicts associated with work roles, the NPS, and SA due to pain. This should help organizations prevent pain-related absences from work and improve working conditions for workers who remain occupationally active in spite of pain problems.

Witnessing workplace bullying - protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis of individual health and well-being outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Most research on workplace bullying has examined the impact of the mistreatment on those exposed. Although bullying also is assumed to have significant ripple effects on bystanders, the empirical evidence for this line of research is highly fragmented and inconclusive. The overarching aim of this planned systematic review and meta-analysis is therefore to determine whether witnessing bullying of others at the workplace is associated with health problems and lower well-being among the observers. To achieve this aim, the review includes an assessment of which theoretical frameworks and methodological designs used in research so far and shed light on which confounders, mediators, and moderators that have been accounted for. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis will be conducted. Electronic databases will be searched using pre-defined search terms to identify relevant studies. Eligible studies should report empirical findings on any individual outcome variable assessed among witnesses to workplace harassment and bullying or any overlapping concept. Primary observational studies with cross-sectional or prospective research design, case-control studies, and studies with experimental designs will be included. Qualitative interviews and case studies will be excluded. The methodological quality of the included studies will be assessed with a previously established checklist for studies on workplace bullying. The quality of evidence for an association between witnessing bullying and potential outcomes will be evaluated in accordance with the GRADE system. A random effects meta-analysis will be conducted with the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software, version 3. DISCUSSION: We expect that findings on outcomes of bystanding to workplace bullying will provide practitioners with an understanding of the effects workplace bullying may have also on non-targets and the workplace as a whole. Such information is important regarding the development and implementation of effective measures and interventions against bullying. In addition, the review will increase our understanding of existing research gaps and enable us to make recommendations to address them. Our work aligns with the sustainable development agenda to protect workers and reduce inequalities at the workplace. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO 342006.

Office design, telework from home, and self-certified sickness absence: A cross-sectional study of main and moderating effects in a nationally representative sample.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate (i) the main effects of office design and access to telework from home (TWFH) on self-certified sickness absence and (ii) the moderating effects of access to TWFH on the relationship between office design and self-certified sickness absence. METHODS: The study used cross-sectional survey data from a nationally representative sample from Norway (N=4329). Research objectives were investigated with negative binomial hurdle models, adjusting for age, gender, education level, leadership responsibility, and time spent on office work. Moderating effects of TWFH were evaluated with pairwise comparisons and plots of estimated marginal means. RESULTS: In adjusted models, employees in conventional open-plan offices [odds ratio (OR) 1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13-1.54] had significantly higher odds of sickness absence than employees in private offices. Employees with access to TWFH (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.74-0.99) had significantly lower odds of sickness absence than employees with no access. Among employees with access to TWFH, those in conventional open-plan offices had significantly higher predicted probability of self-certified sickness absence than those in private offices (z=4.41, P<0.0001). There were no significant differences between office designs among employees who did not have access to TWFH. There were no significant main or moderating effects on the number of sickness absence episodes in adjusted models. CONCLUSIONS: The current study identifies conventional open-plan offices as a potential risk factor for sickness absence. While access to TWFH may be a protective factor overall, it amplified - rather than attenuated - differences in sickness absence between employees in private offices and conventional open-plan offices.

Workplace mistreatment and insomnia: a prospective study of child welfare workers.

OBJECTIVE: This study examines how workplace mistreatment relates to insomnia among child welfare workers. The main aim was to determine the impact of three different forms of mistreatment, namely client perpetrated violence, cyber harassment, and colleague perpetrated bullying, on changes in levels of insomnia over time. A secondary aim was to examine whether these three forms of mistreatment represent overlapping or distinct and unique phenomena. METHODS: The study was based on a probability sampled prospective survey of 424 Norwegian child welfare workers. Time lag between baseline and follow-up was six months. A confirmatory factor analysis determined the dimensionality of the indicators of mistreatment. TwoStep cluster analysis was used to examine patterns of exposure. Between and within group changes in insomnia was determined with linear regression analyses and repeated measures ANOVA. Dominance analysis was used to investigate the relative impact the predictor variables had on insomnia. RESULTS: Client perpetrated violence and colleague perpetrated bullying were associated with increased levels of insomnia over time. Exposure to bullying was established as the most prominent predictor. Client perpetrated violence, cyber harassment, and colleague perpetrated bullying represent unique and distinct constructs. Child welfare workers mainly report exposure to one form of mistreatment rather than a combination of different types. CONCLUSIONS: Client perpetrated violence and colleague perpetrated bullying were established as risk factors for insomnia among child welfare workers. Employers and human resource personnel should prioritize developing effective primary, secondary, and tertiary strategies to prevent and handle these hazards and thereby reduce the risk of insomnia among workers.

Stress-induced headache in the general working population is moderated by the NRCAM rs2300043 genotype.

OBJECTIVES: Earlier findings suggest that social stress such as abusive supervision may promote pain. In the present study we examine the possible moderating role of genetic variability in the NRCAM gene in this process. METHODS: The data were collected through a national survey drawn from the National Central Employee Register by Statistics Norway. A total of 1,205 individuals returned both the questionnaire and the saliva kit. Abusive supervision was scored by a 5-item version of the Tepper's 2,000 scale. Headache was measured on a four-category scale; 'not bothered,' 'a little bothered,' 'considerably bothered', 'seriously bothered'. Genotyping with regards to NRCAM rs2300043 was carried out using Taqman assay. Ordinal logistic regression was used to analyse the data. RESULTS: For males exposed to abusive supervision, those carrying the rs2300043 CC genotype reported the highest levels of headache. Women showed a trend towards the opposite pattern. Women with the rs2300043 CC genotype seem to have a weaker effect of abusive supervision regarding reported headache than their male counterparts with the CC genotype when exposed to abusive supervision. CONCLUSIONS: The present results indicated that the association between abusive supervision and headache in men with the NRCAM rs2300043 C allele was stronger than in other men. This suggests that the NRCAM genotype in men is important for the tolerance of social stress e.g., repeated negative acts from a superior. In contrast, a trend, though non-significant, towards the opposite pattern was observed in women. Our result suggests that the NRCAM genotype in men manifestly affects stress-induced pain such as headache.

The impact of follower leadership position on transformational leadership as moderator of the association between work-related ambiguity and job satisfaction.

This two-part study examined if the buffering effect of transformational leadership on the association between work-related ambiguity and job satisfaction is contingent upon whether a follower holds a formal leadership position him/herself. Data from two separate surveys were employed: Study 1: A sample of 845 respondents from Belgium. Study 2: A national probability sample of 1,608 Norwegian employees. Study 1 showed that task ambiguity had a significant negative relation with job satisfaction, but that transformational leadership did only buffer the association between task ambiguity and job satisfaction among employees holding a formal position as a supervisor or manager. Study 2 extended Study 1 by adjusting for age and job tenure of subordinates as a confounding variable. Study 2 confirmed that transformational leadership had a significantly stronger impact on the observed association between role ambiguity and job satisfaction among respondents holding a supervisor or manager position. In conclusion, when considering job satisfaction as an outcome of work-related ambiguity, transformational leadership is mainly beneficial for followers holding a formal supervisor or manager position themselves. Our findings thereby question assumptions about the general effectiveness of transformational leadership.

Mapping of pituitary stress-induced gene regulation connects Nrcam to negative emotions.

Environmental stressors such as repeated social defeat may initiate powerful activation of subconscious parts of the brain. Here, we examine the consequences of such stress (induced by resident-intruder paradigm) on the pituitary gland. In male stressed vs. control rats, by RNA- and bisulfite DNA sequencing, we found regulation of genes involved in neuron morphogenesis and communication. Among these, Neuronal cell adhesion molecule (Nrcam) showed reduced transcription and reduced DNA methylation in a region corresponding to intron 1 in human NRCAM. Also, genetic variability in this area was associated with altered stress response in male humans exposed to repeated social defeat in the form of abusive supervision. Thus, our data show that the pituitary gene expression may be affected by social stress and that genetic variability in NRCAM intron 1 region influences stress-induced negative emotions. We hope our shared datasets will facilitate further exploration of the motions triggered by social stressors.

Assessing Workplace Bullying and Its Outcomes: The Paradoxical Role of Perceived Power Imbalance Between Target and Perpetrator.

This study investigates the role of perceived power relation between target and perpetrator regarding victimization and turnover intent following exposure to bullying behavior at the workplace. We hypothesized that (1) targets of bullying behavior who self-label as victims experiences a larger power imbalance with the perpetrator compared to targets who do not self-label as victims, and (2) that the association between exposure to bullying behavior and intent to leave the job is stronger when there is power balance between target and perpetrator than when there is a power imbalance. The hypotheses were tested in a probability sample of employees working in the child welfare service in Oslo municipality, Norway, and that had been exposed to at least one instance of mistreatment from a colleague at their workplace (N = 374). Targets of bullying behavior whom self-labeled as victims reported a larger power imbalance with the perpetrator. Supporting the study hypothesis, and representing a reverse buffering effect, exposure to bullying behavior was most strongly associated with intent to leave among targets in power balance with the perpetrator. For targets in a perceived power imbalance, both low and high exposure to bullying behavior were associated with higher levels of intent to leave. These findings highlight the importance of implementing measures directed at preventing bullying and other forms of mistreatment, irrespective of the power relation between the two parties.

Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis on the associations between shift work and sickness absence.

BACKGROUND: Shift work, i.e., non-standard work hours, has been associated with both short- and long-term sickness absence. However, findings are inconsistent and inconclusive. Thus far, no comprehensive meta-analytic synthesis on the relationship between shift work and sickness absence has been published. The aims of the planned systematic review and meta-analysis are (1) to establish whether shift work is associated with sickness absence, (2) to determine if specific shift work characteristics relate to sickness absence (e.g., length and frequency of spells), and (3) to identify moderating factors affecting the relationship between shift work and sickness absence. METHODS: Eligible studies will be identified using a predefined search strategy in several electronic databases (MEDLINE, Web of Science, PsychInfo, EMBASE, and ProQuest) and comprise peer-reviewed papers reporting original empirical findings on the association between shift work and sickness absence. Mainly observational studies with cross-sectional, prospective, or retrospective research design and case-control studies will be included. Risk of bias will be assessed using an adapted checklist previously employed to evaluate studies on sickness absence. To carry out the meta-analytic synthesis, a random effects meta-analysis will be conducted using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software. The review and meta-analysis will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Heterogeneity will be evaluated by Cochran's Q test and the I2 statistics. DISCUSSION: The review and meta-analysis will be the first to conduct a meta-analytic synthesis of the evidence on the association between exposure to shift work and sickness absence, as well as identify relevant moderators affecting the relationship between shift work and sickness absence. Aggregation of the existing evidence will improve the knowledge on the association between shift work and sickness absence. Such knowledge can be used to guide scheduling of shift work to promote work schedules that are less detrimental to health and contribute to reduced sickness absence and higher work- and leisure-time productivity. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42022301200.

Workplace bullying and tiredness at work: A cross-lagged prospective study of causal directions and the moderating effects of a conflict management climate.

OBJECTIVES: To prospectively investigate the reciprocal associations between tiredness at work (TAW) and exposure to bullying behaviors and to determine the role of conflict management climate (CMC) as a moderator of these associations. METHODS: A two-wave national probability sample of employees in Sweden (18 months between waves, 921 participated at both waves) measuring TAW, workplace bullying, and CMC. Structural equation modelling was used to test four hypotheses about the longitudinal associations between feeling tired at work and bullying, and CMC as a moderator for the two directions. RESULTS: In the analyses of cross-lagged effects, tiredness was significantly associated with an increase in subsequent bullying (ß = 0.08, P = .01). Exposure to bullying was not associated with changes in tiredness. CMC moderated the association between tiredness and subsequent bullying (ß = -0.13, 95% CI [-0.19, -0.08]), showing an increased risk of exposure to bullying behaviors following tiredness when CMC was low and decreased risk when CMC was high. CONCLUSIONS: TAW is a risk factor for subsequent bullying. Finding ways to help employees to reduce tiredness not only will help them perform better at work but also reduce the risk of them becoming targets of bullying. A strong CMC can act as a buffer if a tired person provoke aggression from co-workers.

Associations between workplace bullying and later benefit recipiency among workers with common mental disorders.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we examined exposure to workplace bullying as a predictor of registry-based benefit recipiency among workers struggling with work participation due to common mental disorders. Further, we examined if the experience of receiving social support moderated the association between workplace bullying and benefit recipiency. DESIGN: Secondary analyses of a randomized controlled trial. PATIENTS: People struggling with work participation due to common mental disorders (CMD). METHODS: Study participants (n = 1193) were from a randomized controlled trial (The At Work and Coping trial (AWaC), trial registration http://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov NCT01146730), and self-reported CMD as a main obstacle for work participation. Participants were at risk of sickness absence, currently on sickness absence or on long-term benefits. Benefit recipiency indicated sickness absence and/or long-term benefits (i.e., disability pension) at 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: Of the 1193 participants, 36% reported exposure to workplace bullying. Workplace bullying was significantly associated with benefit recipiency at 6-month follow-up (OR 1.41, CI 1.11-1.79). Social support did not moderate the association between bullying and benefit recipiency. CONCLUSIONS: The finding that workplace bullying increases the risk of later benefit recipiency suggest that bullying is a significant obstacle for work participation.

Patterns of pain complaints and insomnia symptoms are associated with abusive supervision in the Norwegian working population: a latent class analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Previous findings suggest that abusive supervision, i.e., subordinates' perceptions of their supervisor's behaviours as hostile (excluding physical aggression), may increase the risk of health complaints. In addition, recent data suggest that the FKBP5 genotype rs9470080 important in the regulation of cortisol release, influences the same outcome. Adding to this complexity, different health complaints often co-occur. The present study aimed to (1) uncover patterns of pain complaints and insomnia symptoms by using latent class analysis, (2) determine whether abusive supervision or FKBP5 rs9470080 was associated with these patterns, and (3) examine the interaction between abusive supervision and FKBP5 genotype regarding pain and insomnia symptoms. METHODS: The data was collected through a national probability survey of 5,000 employees drawn from the National Central Employee Register by Statistics Norway. Abusive supervision was measured by a 5-item version of the Tepper's 2000 scale. Pain and insomnia symptoms were measured by 5 items reflecting pain and 3 items reflecting insomnia. The FKBP5 rs9470080 genotyping was carried out using TaqMan assay. RESULTS: A total of 1,226 participants returned the questionnaire and the saliva kit sample. Based on these the latent class analyses revealed four classes based on response patterns of pain and insomnia symptoms. In the regression analysis, abusive supervision was a significant predictor for the response patterns. However, neither the FKBP5 nor the interaction between abusive supervision and FKBP5 showed significant contributions. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, awareness of the association between abusive supervision and the revealed four pain- and insomnia subgroups, and what separates them, may be important for prognosis and an optimal follow-up for those affected.

The Impact of a Workplace Terrorist Attack on the Psychosocial Work Environment: A Longitudinal Study From Pre- to Post-disaster.

The psychosocial work environment is of great importance for regaining health and productivity after a workplace disaster. Still, there is a lack of knowledge about the impact of a disaster on the psychosocial work environment. The purpose of this study was to examine whether employees' perceptions of role clarity, role conflicts, and predictability in their work situation changed from before to after a workplace terrorist attack. We combined data from two prospective work environment surveys of employees in three governmental ministries that were the target of the 2011 Oslo terrorist attack. A first two-wave survey was conducted 4-5 years and 2-3 years before the attack, and a second three-wave survey took place 10 months, 2 years, and 3 years after the attack. Of 504 individuals who were employed at the time of the bombing, 220 were employed in both pre- and post-disaster periods, participated in both the first and the second survey, and consented to the linking of data from the two surveys. We found no significant changes in levels of role clarity, role conflict, and predictability from before to after the terrorist attack. Adjusting for sex, age and education had no effect on the results. The findings suggest that perceptions of the psychosocial working environment are likely to be maintained at previous levels in the aftermath of a workplace disaster. Considering the importance of the psychosocial work environment for regaining health and productivity, the findings are important for the preparation for, and management of, future crises.

Spinal pain in employees exposed to abusive supervision: Evidence of a sex and CRHR1 CTC haplotype interaction.

Previous findings suggest that exposure to social stress in the form of abusive supervision may increase the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. In the present study, we examined the link between abusive supervision, the CRHR1 genotype and spinal pain. The data were collected through a national survey drawn from the National Central Employee Register by Statistics Norway. A total of 1226 individuals returned both the questionnaire and the saliva kit. Abusive supervision was measured by a 5-item version of the Tepper's 2000 scale. Spinal pain was measured by 3 items (neck-, upper and low back pain). Genotyping with regard to CRHR1 rs242941, rs242939 and rs1876828 was carried out using Taqman assay, and Phase v.2.1.1 was used to define the CRHR1 allele combinations. The analyses revealed that abusive supervision was associated with spinal pain. In particular, we observed a strong effect of abusive supervision on spinal pain in female +CTC/+CTC carriers (p = 0.002). Moreover, using +CTC/+CTC as a reference, +CTC/-CTC and -CTC/-CTC both showed protective effects (p = 0.024, p = 0.002, respectively). Also, our data demonstrated a clear sex and CRHR1 CTC haplotype interaction (p = 0.013). No such gene-environment interaction was seen in men. Our data demonstrated that the CRHR1 CTC haplotype may exacerbate the effect of abusive supervision on spinal pain in female employees. Hence, the present study supports the theory that both gender and the CRHR1 genotype, may moderate the pain responses to social stressors.

Working at home and alcohol use.

Working at home has become a frequent work arrangement following the COVID-19 pandemic. However, little is known about how working at home influence alcohol use among employees. This study examines associations between working at home at least 15 h per week and alcohol consumption using data from a pre-COVID-19 sample. Self-reported questionnaire data on working at home and alcohol use from a large cross-sectional sample of Norwegian employees (N = 14,728). Data were collected between 2004 and 2019 and were analyzed by ordinal logistic regressions. Working at home for >15 h per week was significantly associated with alcohol use (OR 1.67, 95% CI: 1.30 - 2.16). The association remained significant after adjusting for age, gender, leadership position, and educational level. Working at home may facilitate alcohol use that otherwise would not happen. Organizations must ensure that policies and procedures are in place to prevent alcohol use during working hours among employees working at home.

Workplace bullying increases the risk of anxiety through a stress-induced ß2-adrenergic receptor mechanism: a multisource study employing an animal model, cell culture experiments and human data.

OBJECTIVES: Several studies show that severe social stressors, e.g., in the form of exposure to workplace bullying in humans, is associated with negative mental health effects such as depression and anxiety among those targeted. However, the understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms that may explain the relationship between exposure to bullying and such negative health outcomes is scarce. The analyses presented here focus on understanding the role of the ß2-adrenergic receptors (ADRB2) on this association. METHODS: First, a resident-intruder paradigm was used to investigate changes in circulating norepinephrine (NE) in rat serum induced by repeated social defeat and its relationship with subsequent social behavior. Second, the direct effects of the stress-hormones NE and cortisol, i.e., synthetic dexamethasone (DEX), on the ADRB2 expression (qPCR) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) release (immunoassay) was examined in cultured EL-1 cells. Third, in a probability sample of 1052 Norwegian employees, the 9-item short version of the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised (S-NAQ) inventory, Hopkins Symptom Checklist and genotyping (SNP TaqMan assay) were used to examine the association between social stress in the form of workplace bullying and anxiety moderated by the ADRB2 genotype (rs1042714) in humans. RESULTS: The present study showed a clear association between reduced social interaction and increased level of circulating NE in rats previously exposed to repeated social defeat. Parallel cell culture work, which was performed to examine the direct effects of NE and DEX on ADRB2, demonstrated ADRB2 downregulation and MCP-1 upregulation in cultured EL-1 cells. Genotyping with regard to the ADRB2 genotype; rs1042714 CC vs CG/GG, on human saliva samples, showed that individuals with CC reported more anxiety following exposure to bullying behaviors as compared to the G carriers. CONCLUSION: We conclude that workplace bullying promotes anxiety and threaten well-being through an ADRB2 associated mechanism.