New study says workplace bullying increases risk of heart disease

Bullying in the workplace is real. Some workers experience it more than others and, according to a new study published by researchers at the Oxford Academy, these stressors could increase the risk of developing diseases specifically affecting the heart. .

The researchers found that people exposed to violence or bullying at work are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than people with a positive work space. The study included nearly 80,000 active men and women aged 19 to 64 years. None of them had a history of heart disease or heart problems.

In the group, 9% reported being bullied in the workplace and 13% reported being exposed to a level of workplace violence in the last year.

"Sometimes there are domineering personalities who do not like to be threatened if someone else happens, it's really good, so they could intimidate her," she said. said Matt Tibbetts, Sales and Training Coordinator at Express Employment Professionals in Tyler.

"What can we do about it?" Insert the feedback loop Find ways to conduct anonymous surveys Discover ways to partner with someone like Express Employment Professionals and say: & # Hey, we have this problem here, how can we understand what's going on? Often, it's this third look that sees it right away. "

After an average of 12 years, about 4% of the workers studied had been diagnosed with heart disease or had been hospitalized for other health problems. Victims of workplace bullying were 59% more likely to be included in this percentage.

Severe stress can also contribute to high blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease.

Intimidation, or psychologically aggressive behavior, affected 8% to 13% of workers on three different surveys examined in the study. Most bullies were colleagues, supervisors or subordinates, rather than clients or other people outside the workplace.

Health professionals claim that these types of stressors can also contribute to mood disorders such as anxiety and depression and fuel unhealthy behaviors such as smoking and overeating.

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