ObjectiveTo estimate the prospective association between the exposure to three types of gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) and psychotropic medication.MethodsInformation on three measures of workplace GBVH—sexual harassment (1) from superiors or colleagues, (2) from others (eg, clients) and (3) gender harassment from superiors or colleagues—were retrieved from the biannual Swedish Work Environment Survey 2007–2013 (N=23 449), a representative sample of working 16–64 years old registered in Sweden. The survey answers were merged with data on antidepressants, hypnotics/sedatives and anxiolytics from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register. Cox proportional hazards analyses with days to purchase as time scale and first instance of medicine purchase as failure event were fitted, adjusted for demographic and workplace factors.ResultsWorkers who reported exposure to gender harassment only (HR 1.2, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.36), to sexual but not gender harassment (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.40), or to gender and sexual harassment (HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.60) had an excess risk of psychotropics use in comparison to workers who reported neither of the exposures in the past 12 months. We found no interaction between the exposures and gender in the association with psychotropics use.ConclusionsExposure to sexual or gender harassment at the workplace may contribute to the development of mental disorders.

In this study, we provide evidence with high internal and external validity for sexual and gender harassment in the workplace as risk factors for prospective sickness absence. We move the research field forward, as we include men as those exposed, distinguish sexual from non-sexual conduct, differentiate exposure-frequency, and explore a potential moderator in the prospective association with long-term sickness absence.

OBJECTIVE: The study investigated experiences of different types of work-related gender-based harassment (GBH), specifically sexual and gender harassment, as risk factors for alcohol-related morbidity and mortality (ARMM). METHODS: Information about experiences of (i) sexual harassment (SH-I) and (ii) gender harassment (GH-I) from inside the organization and (iii) sexual harassment from a person external to the organization (SH-E) were obtained from the Swedish Work Environment Survey 1995–2013, a biannual cross-sectional survey, administered to a representative sample of the Swedish working population. The survey responses from 86 033 individuals were connected to multiple registers containing information about alcohol-related diagnoses, treatment, or cause of death. Cox proportional hazard models were fitted to assess hazard ratios (HR) of incident ARMM during a mean follow-up of eight (SH-I and GH-I) and ten (SH-E) years. RESULTS: A higher prospective risk estimate of ARMM was found among participants who reported experiences of SH-E [HR 2.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.61–2.52], GH-I (HR 1.33, CI 1.03–1.70), or SH-I (HR 2.37, CI 1.42–3.00). Additional analyses, distinguishing one-time from reoccurring harassment experiences, indicated a dose–response relationship for all three harassment types. Gender did not modify the associations. Under the assumption of causality, 9.3% (95% CI 5.4–13.1) of the risk of ARMM among Swedish women and 2.1% (95% CI 0.6–3.6) among Swedish men would be attributable to any of the three types of GBH included in this study. CONCLUSIONS: Experiences of GBH in the work context may be a highly relevant factor in the etiology of ARMM.

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ObjectiveThis study compares the use of sickness absence benefits (SABs) due to a common mental disorder (CMD) between precariously employed and non-precariously employed workers with CMDs.DesignRegister-based cohort study.ParticipantsThe study included 78 215 Swedish workers aged 27–61 who experienced CMDs in 2017, indicated by a new treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Excluded were those who emigrated or immigrated, were self-employed, had an annual employment-based income <100 Swedish Krona, had >90 days of unemployment per year, had student status, had SABs due to CMDs during the exposure measurement (2016) and the two previous years, had an SSRI prescription 1 year or less before the start of the SSRI prescription in 2017, had packs of >100 pills of SSRI medication, had a disability pension before 2017, were not entitled to SABs due to CMDs in 2016, and had no information about the exposure.OutcomeThe first incidence of SABs due to CMDs in 2017.ResultsThe use of SABs due to a CMD was slightly lower among precariously employed workers compared with those in standard employment (adjusted OR [aOR] 0.92, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.05). Particularly, women with three consecutive years in precarious employment had reduced SABs use (aOR 0.48, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.89), while men in precarious employment showed weaker evidence of association. Those in standard employment with high income also showed a lower use of SABs (aOR 0.74, 95% CI 0.67 to 0.81). Low unionisation and both low and high-income levels were associated with lower use of SABs, particularly among women.ConclusionsThe study indicates that workers with CMDs in precarious employment may use SABs to a lower extent. Accordingly, there is a need for (1) guaranteeing access to SABs for people in precarious employment and/or (2) reducing involuntary forms of presenteeism.