Mental Health Alert: Bullies in the Workplace!

Recent studies have highlighted the harmful effects of bullying in children (JW Psychiatry Jun 1 2009). In a new study, researchers surveyed 5996 Helsinki city employees (age range, 40–60) about their experience of current or past workplace bullying or their observation of current workplace bullying. The researchers then obtained registry information on participants' psychotropic prescriptions, 3 years before and 5 years after the survey.

Five percent of men and women reported current bullying; 18% of women and 12% of men reported prior bullying; and 8% of women and 7% of men reported frequent observation of bullying. After adjustment for age, body-mass index, prior psychotropic drug use, childhood bullying, and occupational status, bullying…