Workplace Harassment in Patients with Congenital Heart Disease

Abstract

Descriptive and observational study carried out consecutively between adult outpatients with congenital heart disease (CHD) and a control population to determine workplace harassment. Demographic and clinical parameters were determined, and two surveys were carried out: the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) to evaluate the quality of life and the NAQ-R (Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised) to assess workplace bullying. Seventy patients with CHD (37 ± 10 years old and 38 (54%) male) and 243 age- and sex-matched controls were studied. Twenty-two patients had mild, 37 moderate, and 11 severe CHD defects. In relation to the educational level, patients with CHD showed a statistically significant higher percentage of vocational training (p = 0.003) while in the control group, there was a higher percentage of patients with secondary education (p = 0.010). No differences were observed in relation with university studies (p = 0.466). Similarly, no statistical significant differences were obtained in the EQ-5D questionnaire between both groups. Regarding the NAQ-R survey, patients with CHD scored significantly higher in the three dimensions of the test (physically intimidating bullying, work-related bullying, and person-related bullying) independently of the educational level. Also, patients with CHD self-reported significantly more workplace bullying than controls (15 (21%) vs. 26 (10%), p = 0.007). Meanwhile, in the whole series, those who reported workplace harassment referred more anxiety and depression (29% vs. 17%, p = 0.049) in the quality of life survey but not of psychiatric illnesses.