Perception of threat and safety at work among employees in the Norwegian ministries after the 2011 Oslo bombing

Nissen, Alexander; Nielsen, Morten Birkeland; Solberg, Øivind; Hansen, Marianne Bang; Heir, Trond

doi:10.1080/10615806.2015.1009831

Cited by 22 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…This finding is in line with previous research indicating that perception of threat, rather than real risk, is the most important predictor of self-reported health problems and that people perceiving high threat are therefore a vulnerable group for reporting and possibly even for developing certain health problems (Blackburn & Epel, 2012; Heir et al, 2016; Nissen et al, 2015). …”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…It can be therefore hypothesized that the months preceding the attacks, during which Belgium was in a state of highest alert after the attacks in Paris in November 2015, could already have primed a negative impact on the population. Other studies also found that by anticipating disasters, peoples’ fears can worsen existing symptoms (Schuster et al, 2001) and that an on-going perceived threat may engender health problems (Heir et al, 2016; Nissen et al, 2015). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although the risk of being directly hit by such attacks is quite limited, the perception that anyone can be hit at any moment may engender feelings of threat. Rather than objective factors, such as proximity to the terrorist attack, the perception of threat has a psychological effect (Ford et al, 2007; Hansen, Nissen, & Heir, 2013; Nissen, Birkeland Nielsen, Solberg, Bang Hansen, & Heir, 2015). Although several studies have found an association between exposure and post-traumatic symptoms (Hansen et al, 2013; Heir, Blix, & Knatten, 2016), other studies did not find such association (Bleich et al, 2003; Ford et al, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Association between feeling threatened by a terrorist attack and subjective health: a web survey a week after the attacks of 22 March 2016 in Belgium

Deschepper

Six

Gidron

et al. 2018

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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Background: The wave of terrorist attacks over the past years in Europe and other regions may cause problems such as anxiety and depressive symptoms. Some studies suggest that perceived threat might also trigger physical health problems.Objective: To investigate the association between feeling threatened and subjective health during the week following a terrorist attack.Method: Online survey with a self-selected sample in the Belgian population one week after the terrorist attacks in 2016. Participants were invited through the Belgian media to fill in a questionnaire in Dutch, French or English on a website. The main outcomes were the association between ‘feeling threatened’ and subjective health problems. Perceived threat was measured with the question ‘During the week after the attacks … Did you feel threatened?’ Subjective health was measured by using standardized scales (ACSA, PHQ-4, PHQ-15).Results: A total of 2620 respondents completed the questionnaire, of whom 69.8% were female, 27.7% lived and 43.1% worked in Brussels. Gender, age, place of living and working, media exposure, religiousness and religious affiliation were associated significantly with higher perceived threat. A total of 21% of the respondents felt much or very much threatened during the week after the attacks. They reported significantly higher levels of mental and physical health problems. The most frequently reported problems were anxiety and depressive symptoms. The health problems that differentiated most markedly between those with low and high levels of perceived threat were fainting spells, chest pain and shortness of breath.Conclusion: In a self-selected sample of respondents, ‘feeling threatened’ was strongly associated with lower level of wellbeing and higher levels of mental and physical health problems. The most prevalent health problems were mental health problems but the most pronounced differences between people with low versus high levels of perceived threat were physical health problems.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Association between feeling threatened by a terrorist attack and subjective health: a web survey a week after the attacks of 22 March 2016 in Belgium

Deschepper

Six

Gidron

et al. 2018

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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“…One part of the added symptom cluster is persistent (and often distorted) negative beliefs and expectations about oneself or the world, exemplified by statements such as 'I am bad' and 'The world is completely dangerous'. In a prior cross-sectional study by our group, we found empirical support for the new DSM-5 D-criterion for PTSD and the role played by perceived threat and safety in the disorder (Nissen, Birkeland Nielsen, Solberg, Bang Hansen, & Heir, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 66%

“…The present prospective three-wave study expands on two earlier cross-sectional studies investigating safety perception at work among Norwegian ministerial employees exposed to a car-bomb terrorist attack at their workplace (Nissen et al, 2015;Nissen & Heir, 2016). Eight people were killed in the attack, about 200 more were wounded, and the explosion caused massive damage to infrastructure in the government quarter in Oslo, Norway.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 78%

Employee safety perception following workplace terrorism: a longitudinal study

Nissen

Hansen

Nielsen

et al. 2019

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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Terrorism at the workplace represents an extreme form of workplace violence potentially affecting large numbers of individuals. Evidence suggests that workplace violence adversely affects employees’ health and work functioning by increasing perceived threat and decreasing perceived safety.The objective of this study was to explore longitudinal associations between perceived safety at work among employees exposed to a workplace terrorist attack and their views on security measures and emergency preparedness.The study comprised a three-wave follow-up of earlier cross-sectional studies on perceived safety at work in ministerial employees exposed to a terrorist attack in Oslo, Norway, in 2011 (N = 3065). Linear mixed-effects modelling was used to explore how perceived safety at work was associated with employees’ perceptions on the prioritization of security measures at work, their knowledge of evacuation procedures, and the extent of escape and evacuation training.The more employees believed security measures were sufficiently prioritized at work and the better their knowledge of evacuation procedures, the higher they rated perceived safety at work. These findings applied both across employees (between-subject effects) and within employees across time (within-subject effects). Employees’ views on the extent of escape and evacuation training were not strongly associated with perceived safety at work. Secondary analysis showed that post-traumatic stress reactions were negatively associated with perceived safety at work, and that the positive association between knowledge of evacuation procedures and perceived safety at work was weaker in women and more educated employees.In conclusion, following terrorism at the workplace, employees’ perceived safety at work might be increased if employers prioritize security measures and provide good information on evacuation procedures. For employees with high levels of post-traumatic stress reactions, adequate treatment of these reactions will be likely to lead to enhanced perceived safety at work.

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Victimization from workplace bullying after a traumatic event: time-lagged relationships with symptoms of posttraumatic stress

Nielsen

Birkeland

Hansen

et al. 2017

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

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The results indicate that victimization from bullying is associated with elevated levels of PTSS in the aftermath of a workplace terror attack, but that bullying does not have any impact on the long-term development of PTSS. PTSS may be a potential antecedent of bullying. These findings suggest that organizations must give high priority to the psychosocial work environment of traumatized employees to prevent further detrimental health consequences.

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Perception of threat and safety at work among employees in the Norwegian ministries after the 2011 Oslo bombing

Abstract: Terror-exposed employees feel more threatened and less safe after a workplace terrorist attack, and this is closely linked to elevated levels of posttraumatic stress reactions.

Cited by 22 publications

References 31 publications

Association between feeling threatened by a terrorist attack and subjective health: a web survey a week after the attacks of 22 March 2016 in Belgium

Association between feeling threatened by a terrorist attack and subjective health: a web survey a week after the attacks of 22 March 2016 in Belgium

Employee safety perception following workplace terrorism: a longitudinal study

Victimization from workplace bullying after a traumatic event: time-lagged relationships with symptoms of posttraumatic stress

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