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Abstract
Objectives To examine 12-month prevalence of perceived bullying at work for doctors in different job categories and medical disciplines in 1993, 2004 and 2014–2015, and personality traits, work-related and health-related factors associated with perceived workplace bullying.
Design Cross-sectional questionnaire surveys in 1993, 2004 and 2014–2015 where the 2004 and the 2012–2015 samples are partly overlapping.
Setting Norway.
Participants Response rates were 72.8% (2628/3608) in 1993, 67% (1004/1499) in 2004 and 78.2% (1261/1612) in 2014–2015. 485 doctors responded both in 2004 and 2014–2015.
Outcome measure Perceived bullying at work from colleagues or superiors at least a few times a month during the last year.
Results Between the samples from 1993, 2004 and 2014–2015, there were no significant differences in the prevalence of perceived bullying at work. More senior hospital doctors and surgeons reported being bullied. Doctors with higher scores on the personality trait neuroticism were more likely to perceive bullying, as were female doctors, doctors with poor job satisfaction and poor self-rated health.
Conclusions The fraction of doctors who experienced bullying at work was stable over a 20-year period. Psychological, psychosocial and cultural factors are predictors of perceived bullying.
- workplace bullying
- national samples
- doctors
- norway
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Footnotes
Contributors JR and OGA designed the study. JR undertook the literature review, did the statistical analysis and wrote the first draft. OGA made critical revisions. Both authors had full access to all of the data (including statistical reports and tables) and are jointly responsible for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.
Funding This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Competing interests None declared.
Patient consent Obtained.
Ethics approval According to the Regional Committee for Medical Research Ethics, the study based on “Norwegian Physician Survey—A biannual prospective questionnaire survey to a representative sample of Norwegian physicians” is exempt from review in Norway, cf. §§ 4 of The Act. The project can be implemented without the approval by the Regional Committee for Medical Research Ethics (IRB 0000 1870). Additionally, approval for data protection of the biannual prospective survey among Norwegian doctors was obtained from the Norwegian Social Science Data Service (Reference 19521).
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
Data sharing statement The authors may be able to provide on request aggregated data on which the analysis is based. No additional data are available.