Workplace Harassment and Workers’ Health: Review of the “Mobbing and Health” Working Groups

Authors

  • Cecilia Colunga Rodríguez U de G and IMSS
  • Mario Ángel González
  • Patricia Lorelei Mendoza Roaf
  • Héctor Alfonso Gómez Rodríguez

Abstract

This paper reports the experience of the symposium “Mobbing and health”, held at the First Ibero American Conference on Workplace and Institutional Mobbing. Based on original research, the authors agreed that mobbing is harmful to physical and mental health, to social life and the relationship with the partner. Symptoms range from sleeping problems, food habits, mood, psychoactive substance use, anxiety, depression, fatigue and deterioration of sexual life, to headaches, hypertension, fibromyalgia and suicide, in extreme cases. The authors also agreed that family support, social support at work and psychotherapeutic intervention are key ways to help the victims. Harassment is recognized as a serious public health problem particularly, though not exclusively, in economically disadvantaged countries. This refers to the fact that mobbing, like other forms of violence, is one of the great evils resulting from the economic crisis that increased social inequality. The authors also said that phenomena such as mobbing should be made clear to the general society in seeking solutions. Thus it is important to target appropriate forums and opportunities to influence public policies and to encourage politicians to legislate and regulate comprehensive health protection of workers. Key words: mobbing, health, workplaces

Author Biographies

Cecilia Colunga Rodríguez, U de G and IMSS

PA Physical Anthropology MA Social Medicine PhD Sociocultural Anthropology Full time professor. Research area: Health and society, Graduate Program in Physical Anthropology, National School of Anthropology and History. Member of the Promoting Group of ALAMES in Mexico.

Mario Ángel González

Master of Education. Lecturer, Master of occupational health program, UdG. Academic, Escuela Normal Superior de Jalisco, Ministry of Education, Jalisco.

Patricia Lorelei Mendoza Roaf

PhD, Public Health Sciences. Professor-researcher, Graduate Program, Occupational Health, UdG. Cuerpo Académico UdG-365-Education and Health.

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