A Survey of Shift Work and Work Ability Index among Nurses: A Case Study in Educational Hospital, Ahvaz, Iran

Shift work is a social phenomenon with adverse effects on the lives and health of people in various aspects. This adverse effect decreases shift workers’ ability over a time period. The aim of the present study was to survey disturbances due to shift work and some disorders associated with work ability index among nurses in educational hospitals, Ahvaz, Iran. This cross-sectional survey was conducted among 33 nurses at the Golestan Hospital, Ahvaz, Iran. The survey of shift workers questionnaire (SOS) and the Work Ability Index (WAI) questionnaire was used as data collection tools. The related data was analyzed based on the descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation test, and Spearman correlation test using IBM SPSS software version 19. The results showed that 97% of problems related to the effects of shift work on the individuals’ lives, families, and musculoskeletal disorders, 87.9% related to insomnia and social problems, and 75.8% related to mental disorders. Although it showed a significant relationship between the workability index with the variable of experience and mental disorders, it showed no significant relationship between the prevalence of insomnia and musculoskeletal disorders variables. The results of this study showed that shift working disrupts mental, social, and physical health that ultimately adversely affect the ability of shift workers. Therefore, it was recommended to adjust working hours and allocate the appropriate shifts to improve the workability of individuals.

Social jetlag and sleep debts are altered in different rosters of night shift work

Background Night and shift work are suspected to cause various adverse effects on health and sleep. Sleep deprivation through shift work is assumed to be compensated on free days. So far it is not clear how different shift systems and shift lengths affect sleep structure on work and free days. Especially working night shifts disrupts the circadian rhythm but also extended working hours (12h) might affect sleep characteristics. Hitherto, the magnitude of sleep debt, social jetlag, and Locomotor Inactivity During Sleep (LIDS) in different shift systems is unknown. Methods Here, we investigated the impact of five different shift rosters on sleep in 129 industrial workers from Germany. Permanent night work with multiple shift systems with and without night shifts and with different shift lengths were compared. Wrist-activity was monitored over 28 days revealing sleep on- and offsets as well as LIDS as proxy for sleep quality. Overall, 3,865 sleep bouts comprising 22,310 hours of sleep were examined. Results The mean daily age-adjusted sleep duration (including naps) was 6:43h and did not differ between shift workers of different rosters. However, sleep duration on workdays was particularly low in rotational shift systems with 12h-shifts (5:00h), while overall sleep debt was highest. Shift workers showed a median absolute social jetlag of 3:03h, which differed considerably between shift types and rosters (p<0.0001). Permanent night workers had the highest social jetlag (5:08h) and latest mid-sleeps on workdays and free days. Sleep quality was reduced in permanent night shift workers compared with shift workers in other rosters and differed between daytime and nighttime sleep. Conclusions Shift work leads to partial sleep deprivation, which particularly affects workers in 12h-shifts and permanent night shifts. Working these shifts resulted in higher sleep debts and larger absolute social jetlag whereas sleep quality was especially reduced in permanent night shift workers compared with shift workers of other rosters.

Ecological and hygienic problems in the Arctic territories of intensive industrial activity (review)

The Goal. To analyze the literature on the impact of high latitude climate on human health, as well as consider some aspects of adaptation to Arctic conditions and nutritional issues for the population and shift workers.Methods. Review of the articles placed in the bibliographic and abstract databases of VINITI, CyberLeninka, RSCI, Scopus, WoS, on the study of environmental and hygienic problems in the Arctic territories, where intense industrial activity is carried out. The following keywords were used: Arctic territories, adaptation, watch, food.Results. Long-term fundamental research has established that a complex of unfavorable and extreme natural and climatic factors in the Arctic causes two main syndromes in humans – “polar tension” and “northern tissue hypoxia”. Adaptation of new settlers in the Arctic territories proceeds in three stages. The duration of the shift period must have a physiological and hygienic justification and correspond to the duration of the period of stable working capacity. In high latitudes, it is especially important to develop diets and food products for various groups of the population and shift workers in relation to the specifics of their work in the Arctic regionsConclusions. Among the main environmental and hygienic problems of the Arctic territories, where intense industrial activity is carried out, it is necessary to highlight the tasks of scientific substantiation of rational modes of work and rest of workers in rotational forms of work. Also it’s necessary to define the quantitative and qualitative composition of food rations recommended for nutrition of various groups of the population, in relation to the specifics of production factors.

Assessment of Shift Work and Its Health Related Behaviors Among Employees of Petrochemical Company, Saudi Arabia, 2021 (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Shift work has been reported to lead to adverse health effects and is receiving increased attention. OBJECTIVE The study aimed to understand the relationship between shift work schedules and health behaviours among day-shift workers and rotating day-evening-shift workers and to detect the difference between day-shift work or fixed day-shift and rotating day-evening-shift employees. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted among employees of Petrochemical Company during 2021. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. It consisted of two parts demographic data and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). RESULTS Out of 126 employees, 58 (46.0%) were from group age 41-50 years, 55 (43.7%) were overweight and 41 (32.5%) were obese, 38 (30.2%) were smokers, 99 (78.6%) worked in fixed shift. Two thirds 94 (74.6%) reported 6-8 sleeping hours per day, where 41 (32.5%) reported that they were satisfactory about overall quality of sleep and 40 (31.7%) were somewhat unsatisfactory, 62 (49.2%) reported “playing regular moderate to vigorous exercise”. There was no significant relation between shifts type and general health status (p =0.122). There was a significant association between shift types and the following ; age, BMI, education, nationality, household income, Working experience, Chronic diseases, Frequency of shift work, and Overall amount of sleep per day (p<0.0001, p0.017, p=0.027, p<0.0001, p0.042, p=0.002, p=0.024, p<0.0001, and p=0.044). CONCLUSIONS In the current study, rotating shifts were associated with extra sleeping hours, normal weight and having exercise. There was no significant differences in general health between workers in different shift schedules. Further studies need to be conducted to gather more information in order to decrease the additional health burden allied to non-standard work-schedules.