Sickness Absence at Work and Supporting Being Present At Work, Among Employees Working Different Shifts in the Forest Industry

Minna Haapakoski Annaliisa Kankainen

doi:10.4172/2165-7556.1000141

Abstract

Objective: Shift work has negative effects on employee overall health, including sleep disorder, depressive symptoms, and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The association between shift work and the prevalence of sickness absence has been less studied. This study investigated sickness absence among employees working different work shift schedules in the forest industry. Method: This descriptive cross-sectional study used employee (N=636) data from forest industry sick-leave registers. The study population (n=280; women n=90 and men=189) worked five different shifts. Each of the five shifts was analyzed separately for sickness absence rate and the results were compared using independent and paired samples t-test. Results: Persons working a three-shift rotation five days week (TAM35) had a significantly higher sickness absence rate (P=0.001) than those working a two-shift rotation (TAM25). Among those working the three-shift rotation five days a week (TAM35) older male and female employees had more absences than their younger counterparts. Conclusion: The three-shift model showed the highest association with sickness absence. This model does not support human physiological circadian rhythms. Of the five shift schedules studied, the day-shift (five days a week) and two-shift (five morning shifts and five evening shifts) models supported employee health.

Highlights

IntroductionIt has been shown to increase risk for cardiovascular diseases [1,2,3], metabolic disease, diabetes, overweight and obesity [4,5,6,7] and depressive symptoms [8,9]
There is evidence that shift work negatively affects employee overall health
Sickness absence in the whole study group The variation in sickness absence rates is highest for the day-shift (TAM15) in both groups, but especially in the control group

Summary

Introduction

It has been shown to increase risk for cardiovascular diseases [1,2,3], metabolic disease, diabetes, overweight and obesity [4,5,6,7] and depressive symptoms [8,9]. Sleep disorders, such as insomnia, poor sleep quality and daytime sleepiness is more common among shift workers than non-shift workers [10]. Prospective cohort and cross-sectional studies have shown that shift work is associated with sickness absence and work ability [12,15,16,17,18]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion