Unwanted sexual attention at work and long-term sickness absence: a follow-up register-based study

Transcription

1 Unwanted sexual attention at work and long-term sickness absence: a follow-up register-based study Annie Hogh 1, Paul Maurice Conway 1, Thomas Clausen 2, Ida Elisabeth Huitfeldt Madsen 2 and Hermann Burr 3 1 Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen 2 National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen 3 Federal Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Berlin, Germany

2 Institut for Psykologi Dias 2

3 Institut for Psykologi Dias 3 Hogh A, Conway PM, Clausen T, Madsen IEH, Burr H (2016) Unwanted sexual attention at work and long-term sickness absence: A follow-up register-based study. BMC Public Health; 16:678. DOI: /s y Study aim To investigate the relationship between unwanted sexual attention in the workplace and subsequent register-based longterm sickness absence ( 3 weeks), stratifying by gender and source of exposure (i.e., colleagues, managers and/or subordinates vs. clients/customers/patients). Long-term sickness absence constitutes the major part of the already substantial costs of sickness absence for companies and society (van Amelsvoort et al., ; p. 1).

4 Institut for Psykologi Dias 4 Unwanted sexual attention and long-term sickness absence: Gaps in current research Widespread use of self-reported measures of sickness absence. Few studies focusing on sickness absence episodes of long duration. Few prospective studies. Little research on unwanted sexual attention by external users.

5 Institut for Psykologi Dias 5 Unwanted sexual attention A form of workplace sexual harassment indicating unwelcome, offensive and unreciprocated sex-related verbal and/or non-verbal acts (e.g., sending intrusive s, making phone calls, touching, grabbing, cornering, etc.) A number of cross-sectional and (fewer) longitudinal studies found significant associations between unwanted sexual attention and poor health status.

6 Institut for Psykologi Dias 6 Prevalence of sexual harassment at work in EU27 No more than 2% of workers reporting sexual harassment in any of the EU27 countries. DK: about 1% reporting sexual harassment at work. High risk of underreporting.

7 Institut for Psykologi Dias 7 Method Prospective study using questionnaire data linked to Danish registers on long-term sickness absence. A pooled sample of 14,605 employees from three Danish population-based surveys (years 2000, 2004 and 2005) providing a total of 19,366 observations.

8 Institut for Psykologi Dias 8 Sample Women 49.6% Mean age 41.4 (SD 11.1) Occupational groups: working with customers (13%), working with clients (30.1%), office workers (25%), manual workers (29%), primary sector (3%). Unwanted sexual attention from colleagues, managers and/or subordinates reported by 1% (1.3% women, 0.7% men) Unwanted sexual attention from clients/customers/patients reported by 1.3% (1.7% women, 1% men) Long-term sickness absence recorded for 9.1% of the sample (9.9% women, 8.4% men)

9 Institut for Psykologi Dias 9 Measures Unwanted sexual attention: Have you been exposed to unwanted sexual attention within the past 12 months? ; respondents reporting unwanted sexual attention were then asked to also report the source of the exposure (i.e., by colleagues, managers and/or subordinates vs. clients/customers/patients). Long-Term Sickness Absence: At least one episode of absence of three consecutive weeks during a 1.5 year follow-up, as recorded in the Danish DREAMregister on social transfer payments.

10 Institut for Psykologi Dias 10 Results Risk of long-term sickness absence among those exposed to unwanted sexual attention by colleagues, managers and/or subordinates HR=1.10, 95% CI= , NS HR=2.66, 95% CI= Adj. for age, mode of interviewing, occupational group, and psychosocial working conditions

11 Institut for Psykologi Dias 11 Results Risk of long-term sickness absence among those exposed to unwanted sexual attention by clients/customers/patients HR=0.89, 95% CI= , NS HR=1.31, 95% CI= Adj. for age, mode of interviewing, occupational group, and psychosocial working conditions

12 Institut for Psykologi Dias 12 Discussion (1) Why is the risk of long-term sickness absence higher among those exposed to unwanted sexual attention from colleagues, managers and/or subordinates? Employees may experience unwanted sexual attention as more illegitimate and self-threatening when it is perpetrated by their own co-workers. Deviant behaviours from users may be viewed in some occupations as a tolerable risk intrinsically connected with the work role. Social identification with one s work group may promote collective ways of coping with unwanted sexual attention from external users.

13 Institut for Psykologi Dias 13 Discussion (2) Why is the risk of long-term sickness absence higher among men exposed to unwanted sexual attention from colleagues, managers and/or subordinates? Unwanted sexual attention might have a greater impact on men s self-esteem because in our society traumas of sexual nature are generally viewed as less acceptable among men than among women. More difficult for men to talk about the problem and seek support, leading to worsened mental health and a consequent higher risk of long-term sickness absence.

14 Institut for Psykologi Dias 14 Study limitations Limited power These results need to be confirmed in even larger samples. Self-reported exposure to unwanted sexual attention. Definition of unwanted sexual attention before the question not provided.

15 Institut for Psykologi Dias 15 Tak!