https://goo.gl/uhq5FV
Bullying and violence in the workplace were linked with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes in a large Scandinavian cohort study.
Over approximately 12 years of follow-up, being bullied at work was associated with a 46% increase in risk for developing type 2 diabetes (hazard ratio 1.46, 95% CI 1.23-1.74), after adjusting for factors including age, sex, education level, and marital status, reported Tianwei Xu, a PhD fellow at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, and colleagues.
Similarly, exposure to workplace violence or threats of violence was linked with a 26% rise in type 2 diabetes risk (HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.02-1.56), the authors wrote online in Diabetologia.
Approximately 9% of participants reported bullying at work, and 12% said they had experienced workplace violence. The exposure to violence varied greatly among different occupations. The highest prevalence of violence or threats of violence were found among occupations with frequent client contact, including social workers (46%), personal and protective service workers (29%), healthcare professionals (25%), and teachers (16%).
The depression and anxiety resulting from workplace bullying or violence might contribute to diabetes risk by chronic activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and sympathetic nervous system, the authors said, adding that impaired sleep might also increase diabetes risk indirectly.