Abstract
Introduction: Shift work is dividing working hours among two or more occupational groups in order to cover the time needed for duty performance or production process. Physicians participated in a shift-work environment since the early days of medicine. Shift work may alter the secretion levels and circadian pattern of cortisol, prolactin and melatonin. Night shift workers experience a variety of physical symptoms and adverse health effects especially those associated with gastrointestinal dysfunction, cardiovascular morbidity. Also shift work negatively affects quality of life. Aim of work: The current study aimed to assess the disturbances of the normal hormonal profile, quality of life and health status among rotating shift working resident physicians and evaluate the relationship between some occupational risk factors andthese disturbances. Materials and methods: The work was conducted on 50 rotating shift working resident physicians as exposed group, matched with 50 day only working resident physicians and demonstrators as non exposed group using a questionnaire including demographic data, occupational history, Gastrointestinal and Cardiovascular symptoms, Quality of life. Cortisol, prolactin, melatonin serum levels were measured. Results: The prolactin and cortisol showed a statistically significant increase while melatonin showed statistically significant decrease among rotating shift working resident physicians compared to the day-time working physicians. Also Quality of life was worse and GIT and Cardiovascular disorders were more frequent among rotating shift working resident physicians in contrast to those of day-shift. In correlation between hormones level and Cumulative working period, there was a statistically significant positive correlation with cortisol and prolactin and a statistically significant negative correlation with melatonin. Conclusion: The study reported that shift workers had disturbances in the normal hormonal profile, quality of life and health status andthese disturbances increased by high work load.
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