Mobbing, or bullying in the workplace, has gained relevance in recent decades due to its growing magnitude and negative effects on workers’ health. There are various approaches for studying the issue. However, thus far the evidence is scarce in Latin America and is focused on specific samples. This study aims to analyze workplace bullying and its association with mental health in the wage-earning population and to determine the extent to which this association is modified by gender. A survey was conducted with a sample of 1,995 male and female salaried workers in Chile’s three main metropolitan areas (Greater Santiago, Greater Valparaíso, and Greater Concepción) with three-stage random selection (blocks, households, and individuals). Prevalence rates for depressive symptoms, use of psychotropic medication, and stress were 10.9%, 12.8%, and 13%, respectively, and there was a strong relationship between mental health variables and workplace bullying, which persisted in the adjusted models. When comparing this association in the models stratified by gender, no significant differences were observed between men and women.

El acoso laboral ha adquirido relevancia en las últimas décadas, debido a su creciente magnitud y consecuencias negativas en la salud de los trabajadores, existiendo diversos enfoques para estudiarlo. Sin embargo, hasta la fecha en América Latina la evidencia es escasa y focalizada en muestras específicas. El objetivo de este estudio es describir el acoso laboral y su asociación con la salud mental en población asalariada y determinar en qué medida la asociación se modifica según el género. Se realizó una encuesta a una muestra de 1.995 trabajadores y trabajadoras asalariadas de las tres principales áreas metropolitanas de Chile (Gran Santiago, Gran Valparaíso y Gran Concepción) seleccionados al azar en tres etapas (manzanas, viviendas e individuos). La prevalencia de síntomas depresivos, consumo de psicotrópicos y distrés fue de 10,9%, 12,8% y 13% respectivamente en la muestra total, y existe una fuerte asociación entre variables de salud mental y acoso laboral, aún en los modelos ajustados. Al comparar esta asociación en los modelos estratificados por género, no se observaron diferencias significativas entre hombres y mujeres.

O assédio moral no trabalho ganhou relevância nas últimas décadas devido à sua crescente magnitude e às consequências negativas sobre a saúde dos trabalhadores, sendo que existem diversos enfoques para estudá-la. Entretanto, na América Latina, as evidências são raras e focalizadas em amostras específicas. O objetivo deste estudo é descrever o assédio no trabalho e a sua relação com a saúde mental nos funcionários, para determinar em que medida a relação se altera conforme o gênero. A pesquisa envolveu uma amostra de 1995 trabalhadores e trabalhadoras formais das três principais regiões metropolitanas do Chile (Grande Santiago, Grande Valparaíso e Grande Concepción) selecionados ao acaso, em três etapas (quarteirão, unidades habitacionais e indivíduos). A prevalência de sintomas depressivos, consumo de psicotrópicos e distresse foi de 10,9%, 12,8% e 13% respectivamente, na amostra total, e existe uma forte relação entre variáveis de saúde mental e assédio moral no trabalho, ainda nos modelos ajustados. A comparação desta relação nos modelos estratificados por gênero não mostrou diferenças significativas entre homens e mulheres.

O assédio moral no trabalho ganhou relevância nas últimas décadas devido à sua crescente magnitude e às consequências negativas sobre a saúde dos trabalhadores, sendo que existem diversos enfoques para estudá-la. Entretanto, na América Latina, as evidências são raras e focalizadas em amostras específicas. O objetivo deste estudo é descrever o assédio no trabalho e a sua relação com a saúde mental nos funcionários, para determinar em que medida a relação se altera conforme o gênero. A pesquisa envolveu uma amostra de 1995 trabalhadores e trabalhadoras formais das três principais regiões metropolitanas do Chile (Grande Santiago, Grande Valparaíso e Grande Concepción) selecionados ao acaso, em três etapas (quarteirão, unidades habitacionais e indivíduos). A prevalência de sintomas depressivos, consumo de psicotrópicos e distresse foi de 10,9%, 12,8% e 13% respectivamente, na amostra total, e existe uma forte relação entre variáveis de saúde mental e assédio moral no trabalho, ainda nos modelos ajustados. A comparação desta relação nos modelos estratificados por gênero não mostrou diferenças significativas entre homens e mulheres.

Mobbing, or bullying in the workplace, has gained relevance in recent decades due to its growing magnitude and negative effects on workers’ health. There are various approaches for studying the issue. However, thus far the evidence is scarce in Latin America and is focused on specific samples. This study aims to analyze workplace bullying and its association with mental health in the wage-earning population and to determine the extent to which this association is modified by gender. A survey was conducted with a sample of 1,995 male and female salaried workers in Chile’s three main metropolitan areas (Greater Santiago, Greater Valparaíso, and Greater Concepción) with three-stage random selection (blocks, households, and individuals). Prevalence rates for depressive symptoms, use of psychotropic medication, and stress were 10.9%, 12.8%, and 13%, respectively, and there was a strong relationship between mental health variables and workplace bullying, which persisted in the adjusted models. When comparing this association in the models stratified by gender, no significant differences were observed between men and women.

El acoso laboral ha adquirido relevancia en las últimas décadas, debido a su creciente magnitud y consecuencias negativas en la salud de los trabajadores, existiendo diversos enfoques para estudiarlo. Sin embargo, hasta la fecha en América Latina la evidencia es escasa y focalizada en muestras específicas. El objetivo de este estudio es describir el acoso laboral y su asociación con la salud mental en población asalariada y determinar en qué medida la asociación se modifica según el género. Se realizó una encuesta a una muestra de 1.995 trabajadores y trabajadoras asalariadas de las tres principales áreas metropolitanas de Chile (Gran Santiago, Gran Valparaíso y Gran Concepción) seleccionados al azar en tres etapas (manzanas, viviendas e individuos). La prevalencia de síntomas depresivos, consumo de psicotrópicos y distrés fue de 10,9%, 12,8% y 13% respectivamente en la muestra total, y existe una fuerte asociación entre variables de salud mental y acoso laboral, aún en los modelos ajustados. Al comparar esta asociación en los modelos estratificados por género, no se observaron diferencias significativas entre hombres y mujeres.

Abstract: Workplace violence (WV) is an important work stressor and produces serious consequences at the individual and organizational level. The ways to face the WV include the measures to prevent it and face it at the individual, collective and organizational level. These ways of dealing with WV moderate the relationship between WV and mental health outcomes. The literature has preferably studied the consequences of WV meanwhile the ways of coping and prevent it have been insufficiently investigated, with no previous studies in Chile. The objective of the article is to analyze the ways of dealing with workplace violence in a non-probabilistic, intentional, sequential and conceptually oriented sample of 70 Chilean workers who were interviewed in depth. The passive individual coping is the one that predominates in the accounts of the men and women interviewed; they turn to active coping when the abuse is repeated. The mediation of the labor union, the support from colleagues and the organization are valued positively; and there are contradictory opinions regarding the management by government organization.

Resumen: La violencia laboral (VL) es un importante estresor laboral y produce graves consecuencias a nivel individual y organizacional. Los modos de afrontar la VL incluyen las medidas para prevenirla y enfrentarla a nivel individual, colectivo y organizacional. Estos modos de afrontar la VL modulan la relación entre ésta y los resultados de salud mental. La literatura ha estudiado preferentemente las consecuencias de la VL mientras que los modos de afrontarla y prevenirla han sido insuficientemente investigados, no existiendo estudios previos en Chile. El objetivo del artículo es analizar los modos de afrontar la violencia laboral en una muestra no probabilística intencional, secuencial, orientada conceptualmente de 70 trabajadores/as chilenos/as a quienes se realizaron entrevistas en profundidad. El afrontamiento pasivo individual es el que predomina en los relatos de los entrevistados y entrevistadas; recurren al afrontamiento activo cuando el maltrato es reiterado. La mediación del sindicato, el apoyo de parte de compañeros y de la organización son valorados positivamente; y existen opiniones contradictorias frente a la gestión de parte de organismos estatales.

The aim of this review is to describe and to analyze scientific reports about occupational violence in the health area. A systematic review of the literature on Academic Search Complete (EBSCO Host), Medline, Pubmed, Scielo, Scopus and Web of Science was performed and 23 articles were selected for analysis. Most studies are quantitative, measuring workplace violence and its consequences, including multi-stratum samples. They mainly measure psychological and external violence and their subjects are hospital workers. Violence is conceived as coming from organizational dimensions. Facilitators of violence are related to the nature of the job and the most commonly studied consequences are related to mental health. The main consequences of the phenomenon are depressive symptoms, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and work stress. The nature of the job as a facilitator of violence relates primarily to the place of work and to the profession. Most of the studies are carried out with multi-stratum samples and combine workers from different services. However, studies in psychiatric services and with nursing staff are also common.

The agricultural drainage water from the Sinaloa valley (Mexico) is often reused in agriculture and aquaculture before reaching coastal water bodies. Discharged water must be of good quality to maintain the health of ecosystems and prevent damage to the organisms that compose them. This research determined the occurrence of coliforms in a drainage ditch known as La Michoacana (Sinaloa) that receives contaminated water from agricultural and urban sources. A section of 3.6 km was studied during 2013 and samples were obtained monthly from five equidistant sampling sites. Each water sample was analyzed for total coliform (TC) and fecal coliform (FC) content, pH, salinity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen percentage (%DO). The sampling sites with the highest bacterial contamination were associated with direct discharges of domestic wastewater and those with the lowest to the output drain. The performance of this agricultural ditch decreased the concentration of coliforms, with median and average values of 96% and 87% for TC, and 98% and 85% for FC, respectively. The most common bacteria were Escherichia coli (67.7%), Kluyvera cryocrescens (10.2%), and Enterobacter agglomerans (6.3%). Coliform concentration was positively correlated with temperature and negatively with %DO. The ditch improved the microbiological quality of the water, demonstrating remediation activities in the system. Proper management and maintenance of agricultural drainage ditches would favorably impact the health and biodiversity, as well as the intensive aquaculture and agricultural activities of the Sinaloa valley.

El agua que conducen los canales de drenaje del valle agrícola sinaloense (México) es reutilizada con frecuencia en la agricultura y acuacultura antes de ser depositada en las aguas costeras. La calidad del agua descargada debe ser adecuada para mantener la salud de los ecosistemas y evitar daño a los organismos que los componen. Esta investigación determinó la presencia de coliformes en el canal de drenaje agrícola conocido como La Michoacana (Sinaloa), que recibe agua contaminada de fuentes agrícolas y urbanas. Se estudió una sección de 3.6 km del canal durante el año 2013 y se recolectaron mensualmente muestras de agua de cinco puntos de muestreo equidistantes. A cada muestra se le analizó el contenido de coliformes totales (CT) y coliformes fecales (CF), pH, salinidad, temperatura y porcentaje de saturación de oxígeno disuelto (%OD). Los puntos de muestreo con mayor contaminación bacteriana estuvieron asociados a las descargas directas de agua residual doméstica, y aquellos con menor contaminación estuvieron asociados a la salida del canal de drenaje. El funcionamiento del canal disminuyó la carga de coliformes, con medianas y valores promedio del 96% y 87% para CT, y 98% y 85% para CF, respectivamente. Las principales bacterias identificadas fueron Escherichia coli (67.7%), Kluyvera cryocrescens (10.2%) y Enterobacter agglomerans (6.3%). La concentración de coliformes presentó una correlación positiva con la temperatura y negativa con el %OD. El canal de drenaje La Michoacana mejora la calidad microbiológica del agua que conduce, lo cual demuestra funciones de remediación en el sistema. El mantenimiento y manejo adecuado de los canales de drenaje agrícola puede impactar favorablemente la salud y biodiversidad, así como las actividades acuícolas y agrícolas intensivas del valle sinaloense.

Introducción. El foco enzoótico del subtipo ID del virus de la encefalitis equina venezolana en la región del Magdalena Medio produce esporádicamente casos en humanos. El registro de un caso en una niña de tres años en el caserío de Chingalé, municipio de Puerto Wilches, Santander, motivó este estudio. Objetivo. Evaluar el caserío de Chingalé como probable sitio de infección. Materiales y métodos. En junio de 2005 se recolectaron mosquitos con trampas de luz CDC dentro y fuera de las casas; también se colocaron trampas Trinidad y hámster centinela alrededor de las viviendas. Resultados. En 107 muestreos se recolectaron 14.423 mosquitos distribuidos en 35 especies. La abundancia relativa de los posibles vectores del subtipo ID del virus de la encefalitis equina venezolana encontrados, Culex (Melanoconion) pedroi y Cx. (Mel) ocossa, en general, fue baja (<4%). Estas dos especies fueron más frecuentes en el exterior de las viviendas que en los dormitorios: Cx. ocossa en las trampas CDC y Cx. pedroi en las Trinidad. C. ocossa fue más frecuente en las viviendas. Además, este estudio detectó Psorophora confinis, considerado posible vector de subtipos epidemo/epizoóticos y una alta frecuencia de Mansonia indubitans en las viviendas. Los hámster expuestos no se infectaron. Conclusiones. La niña pudo infectarse en su casa o cerca de ella, aunque el ciclo epidemiológico del virus no tiene lugar en el casco urbano de Chingalé. Posiblemente ocurre en un lugar cercano y Culex (Melanoconion) infectados llevan el virus al caserío, en donde algunos mosquitos incursionaron a alimentarse.

Introduction. The enzootic focus of subtype ID of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus in the Central Magdalena region (central Colombia) occasionally produces human cases. The report of a VEE infection in a three-year-old girl in the small Chingalé, municipalitype of Puerto Wilches, Santander, motivated this study. Objective. The village of Chingalé was evaluated as the probable site of infection. Materials and methods. In June 2005, mosquitoes were collected with CDC light traps in and outside of dwellings in the village. Trinidad traps were placed in nearby vegetation, and hamsters were used as sentinel animals near homes. Results. One hundred and seven samples, consisting of 14,423 mosquitoes of 35 species were collected. The relative abundance of incriminated vectors of subtype ID of VEE, Culex (Melanoconion) pedroi and Cx. (Mel.) ocossa, was generally low (<4%), but both species were more frequent outside of dwellings than indoors. Cx. (Mel.) ocossa was collected in CDC traps and was more frequent indoors,whereas Cx. (Mel.) pedroi was found in the Trinidad traps. In addition, Psorophora confinnis was present, recognized as a potential vector of the epidemo/epizootic subtype. Mansonia indubitans, another recognized vector, was present at high frequency within dwellings. The exposed hamsters did not become infected. Conclusion. The child may have been infected in or near her home, although the epidemiologic cycle of the virus was not demonstrated within the village of Chingalé. Possibly, infected Culex mosquitoes of the subgenus Melanoconion carried the virus into the village from a neighboring habitat.