Night Shift Work Research Articles

Comparison of Fatigue Level, Musculoskeletal Disorders and Physical Activity Level in Aircraft Engineers Working in the Morning Shift and Night Shift

Abstract Background Shift work is a system in which different groups of workers work at different times of the day and night. It may affect the physiological health of an individual and hence fatigue, musculoskeletal disorder and changes in physical activity may arise. Objective To compare the fatigue level, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and physical activity level in aircraft engineers working in morning shift and night shift. Method The study consisted of 100 aircraft engineers working at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Terminal 1. 50 aircraft engineers working in morning shift and 50 aircraft engineers working in night shift participated in the study. Self-administered questionnaire i. e., Chalder Fatigue Scale, Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and International Physical Activity Questionnaire were used to access the fatigue level, the number of MSDs, and physical activity level, respectively. Results The results showed significant difference in fatigue level, and the level of physical activity morning shift versus night shift workers (p<0.001). The mean value of fatigue level in morning shift was 4.9 and in night shift was 14.6. The average mean value of physical activity level in morning shift was 1972.61 MET min a week and in night shift was 1277.83 MET min a week. MSDs were more common in night shift workers as compared to morning shift workers. Conclusion The findings of the study suggested an increased in the level of fatigue and decrease in the physical activity level among aircraft engineers working night shift compared to those working morning shift. There are more MSDs in aircraft engineers working night shift as compared to those working morning shift.

Negative representations of night-shift work and mental health of public hospital healthcare workers in the COVID-19 era (Aladdin survey)

BackgroundMany risk factors impact the health of hospital night workers, which can lead to physical and mental health disorders. During the recent period, night hospital workers have been particularly stressed. This study therefore aims to: (i) To document the prevalence of depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, and symptoms suggestive of post-traumatic stress disorder in night shift workers (NSHW) working in Parisian public hospitals after France’s first COVID-19 wave ended; (ii) To estimate the effect of negative representations and perceptions of night shift work on these mental health outcomes.MethodsAn observational cross-sectional online survey of NSHW (June to September 2020) in 39 public hospitals in Paris, France. Standard scales were used to measure mental health outcomes. Weighted multinomial logistic regression models supported the identification of predictors of depression (score > 10 on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS, for depression), anxiety (score > 10 on the HADS for anxiety), severe insomnia (score > 21 on the Insomnia Severity Index, ISI) and symptoms suggestive of post-traumatic stress disorder (score > 36 on the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, IES-R).ResultsThe weighted prevalence rates [95% confidence interval] of depression, anxiety, severe insomnia, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder were, respectively, 18.9% [16.5–21.2], 7.6% [6.0–9.1], 8.6% [6.9–10.2] and 11.7% [9.7–13.6]. After multiple adjustment, organizational changes in NSHW professional lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic (such as moving to another hospital department and modified schedules) and NSHW-perceived negative representations of night work were significantly associated with all studied mental health outcomes.ConclusionOur findings confirm the importance of monitoring mental health and sleep quality among NSHW in Parisian public hospitals, even more during health crises. Multilevel interventions aiming at reducing negative representations and improving work organization are urgently needed to improve overall health of this frontline healthcare providers group.

HUBUNGAN SHIFT MALAM TERHADAP PENYAKIT REFLUKS GASTROESOFAGUS PADA PERAWAT DI RUMAH SAKIT UMUM PUSAT SANGLAH

Gastroesophageal reflux disease is one of the most frequently diagnosed gastrointestinal diseases in the world with a prevalence that continues to increase every year. There are several studies state that night shifts can increase the risk of GERD. One group of workers who often undergo night shift rotation are nurses who work in hospitals. This study aims to determine the correlation between night shift work and gastroesophageal reflux disease among nurses. This study is an analytical study with a cross-sectional design. The data collection technique was carried out by purposive sampling by distributing questionnaires to 161 nurses on duty at Single Hospital which were divided into 85 Inpatient Installation nurses who worked night shifts and 76 Outpatient Nurses who worked morning shifts. This study found a significant correlation between night shift work and gastroesophageal reflux disease (p value = 0.013; Prevalence Ratio = 3; 95% Confidential Interval 1.18-7.84) by the chi square test. Furthermore, by the logistic regression analysis of night shift and GERD, the AOR (Adjusted Odd Ratio) was 3.61 with 95% CI (1.05-12.52) and other variable like age, gender, BMI and fast food consumption habits on GERD did not shown any significant result. There is a significant correlation between night shift work and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Nurses who undergo night shifts have a 3.61 times higher risk of experiencing GERD.
 Keywords : Night Shift Work, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, Nurse

Evaluation of Correlation between Sleep and Psychiatric Disorders in a Population of Night Shift Workers: A Pilot Study.

Insomnia is the perception of inadequate, insufficient or non-restorative sleep. Of all sleep-related disorders, insomnia is the most common. It is important to remember that the sleep-wake cycle also plays a central role in the genesis of anxiety and depression. The aim of our study is to evaluate the association between sleep disturbances and anxiety and depression in a group of workers of both sexes who perform night shift work. Information on sleep disorders was collected by administering the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) questionnaire. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Chi-square test to assess whether there were any differences between sex for those who were healthy or who were diagnosed with psychiatric disorders. The results showed that there was a good percentage of subjects with insomnia problems, impairing normal daily activities and promoting the onset of fatigue, daytime sleepiness, cognitive performance deficits and mood disorders. We highlighted how anxious and depressive anxiety disorders are more pronounced in people who suffer from altered sleep-wake rhythms. Further research in this direction could prove to be fundamental for understanding the genesis of the onset of other disorders as well.

Circadian Disruption in Night Shift Work and Its Association with Chronic Pulmonary Diseases.

Globalization and the expansion of essential services over continuous 24 h cycles have necessitated the adaptation of the human workforce to shift-based schedules. Night shift work (NSW) causes a state of desynchrony between the internal circadian machinery and external environmental cues, which can impact inflammatory and metabolic pathways. The discovery of clock genes in the lung has shed light on potential mechanisms of circadian misalignment in chronic pulmonary disease. Here, the current knowledge of circadian clock disruption caused by NSW and its impact on lung inflammation and associated pathophysiology in chronic lung diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary fibrosis, and COVID-19, is reviewed. Furthermore, the limitations of the current understanding of circadian disruption and potential future chronotherapeutic advances are discussed.

A Bayesian hierarchical assessment of night shift working for offshore wind farms

AbstractThis article presents a Bayesian data‐modelling approach to assessing operational efficiency at offshore wind farms. Input data are provided by an operational database provided by a large offshore wind farm which employs an advanced data management system. We explore the combination of datasets making up the database, using them to train a Bayesian hierarchical model which predicts weekly lost production from corrective maintenance and time‐based availability. The approach is used to investigate the effect of technician work shift patterns, specifically addressing a strategy involving night shifts for corrective maintenance which was employed at the site throughout the winter. It was found that, for this particular site, there is an approximate annual increase in time‐based technical availability of 0.64%. We explore the effect of modelling assumptions on cost savings; specifically, we explore variations in failure rate, price of electricity, number of technicians working night shift, extra staff wages, months of the year employing 24/7 working and extra vessel provision. Results vary quite significantly among the scenarios investigated, exemplifying the need to consider the question on a farm‐by‐farm basis.

Circadian Rhythms Disrupted by Light at Night and Mistimed Food Intake Alter Hormonal Rhythms and Metabolism.

Availability of artificial light and light-emitting devices have altered human temporal life, allowing 24-hour healthcare, commerce and production, and expanding social life around the clock. However, physiology and behavior that evolved in the context of 24 h solar days are frequently perturbed by exposure to artificial light at night. This is particularly salient in the context of circadian rhythms, the result of endogenous biological clocks with a rhythm of ~24 h. Circadian rhythms govern the temporal features of physiology and behavior, and are set to precisely 24 h primarily by exposure to light during the solar day, though other factors, such as the timing of meals, can also affect circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are significantly affected by night shift work because of exposure to nocturnal light, electronic devices, and shifts in the timing of meals. Night shift workers are at increased risk for metabolic disorder, as well as several types of cancer. Others who are exposed to artificial light at night or late mealtimes also show disrupted circadian rhythms and increased metabolic and cardiac disorders. It is imperative to understand how disrupted circadian rhythms alter metabolic function to develop strategies to mitigate their negative effects. In this review, we provide an introduction to circadian rhythms, physiological regulation of homeostasis by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), and SCN-mediated hormones that display circadian rhythms, including melatonin and glucocorticoids. Next, we discuss circadian-gated physiological processes including sleep and food intake, followed by types of disrupted circadian rhythms and how modern lighting disrupts molecular clock rhythms. Lastly, we identify how disruptions to hormones and metabolism can increase susceptibility to metabolic syndrome and risk for cardiovascular diseases, and discuss various strategies to mitigate the harmful consequences associated with disrupted circadian rhythms on human health.

Gene-X-Environment Analysis Supports Protective Effects of Eveningness Chronotype on Self-Reported and Actigraphy-derived Sleep Duration among Regular Night Shift Workers in the UK Biobank.

Previous research has linked having an eveningness chronotype with a higher tolerance for night shift work, suggesting the ability to work nights without health consequences may partially depend upon having a circadian clock optimized for these times. As chronotypes entrain over time to environmental cues, it remains unclear whether higher relative eveningness amongst healthy night workers reflects a moderating or mediating effect of chronotype on health. We address these concerns conducting a GWAS (genome-wide association study) and utilizing a polygenic score (PGS) for eveningness as a time-invariant measure of chronotype. On a sample of 53,211 workers in the UK Biobank (2006-2018), we focus on the effects of night shift work on sleep duration, a channel through which night shift work adversely affects health. We ask whether a higher predisposition towards eveningness promotes night shift work tolerance. Results indicate that regular night shift work is associated with a 13-minute (3.5%) reduction in self-reported sleep per night relative to those who never work these hours (95% CI = -17:01, -8:36). We find that eveningness has a strong protective effect on night workers: a one-SD increase in the PGS is associated with a 4-minute (28%) reduction in the night shift work sleep penalty per night (CI = 0:10, 7:04). This protective effect is pronounced for those working the longest hours. Consistent patterns are observed with an actigraphy-derived measure of sleep duration. These findings indicate that solutions to health consequences of night shift work should take individual differences in chronotype into account.

Influencing factors of work stress of medical workers in clinical laboratory during COVID-19 pandemic: Working hours, compensatory leave, job satisfaction.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose unprecedented threats and challenges to global public health. Hospital Clinical Laboratory and public health institutions have been playing an important role in case detection, epidemic research and decision-making, and epidemic prevention and control. To explore the current situation and influencing factors of work stress of medical workers in hospital clinical laboratory in fighting against COVID-19. A cluster random sampling method was used to select seven hospitals from 14 tertiary hospitals in Xiamen, and medical workers in the selected hospitals were investigated by self-administered questionnaire. A total of 150 medical workers inclinical laboratory participated in this survey, 138 valid questionnaires were collected, with a response rate of 92%. The work stress scores of the medical workers in the clinical laboratory of hospital in the COVID-19 epidemic were collected (55.22 ± 11.48); The top three dimensions of work stress score were work stress (work load), external environment and doctor-patient relationship. The results of multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that the working hours per day, whether overtime and night shift can get compensatory leave and Job satisfaction with the work of the clinical laboratory were the main factors affecting the work stress level of medical workers in the clinical laboratory of hospital during COVID-19 epidemic. The COVID-19 has caused great harm to the physical and mental health of the public. Medical staff are in the front line of prevention and control of the epidemic, so medical workers in hospital clinical laboratory exposed to a high level of stress at work. Laboratory leaders and hospital managers should take active and effective measures to reduce the working hours of the medical staff in clinical laboratory, optimize the arrangement of night shift and overtime working, strengthen the training of group and individual pressure management, reduce the work stress of the medical staff, improve the overall happiness of the medical staff in clinical laboratory, and stabilize the clinical laboratory team, improve the physical and mental health of medical workers in clinical laboratory.

Fatigue and its impact on performance and health.

An increasing body of evidence suggests that fatigue among healthcare staff is widespread, owing to a combination of high work intensity, long daytime hours and night-shift working. This has been linked to poorer outcomes for patients and longer inpatient stays, and to increased risks of work-related accidents, errors and injuries for practitioners. These include needlestick injuries and motor vehicle accidents, and other impacts on practitioner health, ranging from cancer, mental health problems, metabolic disorders to coronary disease. Other 24-hour safety-critical industries have fatigue policies that acknowledge the risks of staff fatigue and provide a system to manage it and mitigate harm, but these are still lacking within healthcare. This review explains the basic physiology behind fatigue and outlines its impacts on healthcare practitioners' clinical practice and wellbeing. It proposes methods to minimise these effects for individuals, organisations and the wider UK health service.

Circadian clocks in health and disease: Dissecting the roles of the biological pacemaker in cancer

In modern society, there is a growing population affected by circadian clock disruption through night shift work, artificial light-at-night exposure, and erratic eating patterns. Concurrently, the rate of cancer incidence in individuals under the age of 50 is increasing at an alarming rate, and though the precise risk factors remain undefined, the potential links between circadian clock deregulation and young-onset cancers is compelling. To explore the complex biological functions of the clock, this review will first provide a framework for the mammalian circadian clock in regulating critical cellular processes including cell cycle control, DNA damage response, DNA repair, and immunity under conditions of physiological homeostasis. Additionally, this review will deconvolute the role of the circadian clock in cancer, citing divergent evidence suggesting tissue-specific roles of the biological pacemaker in cancer types such as breast, lung, colorectal, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Recent evidence has emerged regarding the role of the clock in the intestinal epithelium, as well as new insights into how genetic and environmental disruption of the clock is linked with colorectal cancer, and the molecular underpinnings of these findings will be discussed. To place these findings within a context and framework that can be applied towards human health, a focus on how the circadian clock can be leveraged for cancer prevention and chronomedicine-based therapies will be outlined.

Association Between Night Shift and Hypertension: A Cross-Sectional Study in Chinese Adults.

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of night-shift work on the risk of hypertension for improving workers' health. A total of 10,038 Chinese participants were constituted in the cross-sectional study. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline were used to estimate the effect of night shift on hypertension. There were higher odds of having hypertension in any night-shift workers (odds ratio [OR], 1.16 [95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.30]) when compared with day workers. Having 5 to 10 night shifts per month were significantly more likely to be hypertensive (OR, 1.19 [95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.38]). The OR for hypertension increased as the number of night shifts increased as the result of the restricted cubic spline. Our results support the hypothesis that night shift is associated with an elevated risk of hypertension.

P072 Circadian misalignment by simulated night shifts decreases colonoid barrier integrity in Ulcerative Colitis

Abstract Background Circadian rhythms orchestrate multiple biological processes with 24-hour oscillations that regulate diverse bodily functions. The central clock is in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and orchestrates peripheral circadian clocks in every organ system including the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Previous work has shown that circadian misalignment in Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is associated with increased colonic permeability, and colonic organoids recapitulate the host circadian phenotype. The goals of this study were to examine whether circadian misalignment would disrupt the colonic barrier integrity in UC. Methods 5 subjects, 2 UC and 3 Healthy Controls (HC), were recruited into the study. All UC subjects were inactive (partial Mayo Score ≤ 1) and stable medications with no flares for the last 3 months. For two weeks prior to entry into the circadian lab all subjects were on a prescribed regular sleep schedule. Subjects were then kept in the circadian lab for 6 days with strict control of their light/dark cycle (Figure 1). All subjects then underwent two unprepped flexible sigmoidoscopies at: (1) baseline with circadian alignment and (2) after three days of simulated night shifts with circadian misalignment. Colonic organoids generated created from the colon tissue biopsies grown in Matrigel and barrier integrity was assessed in apical-out colonoids by FITC-Dextran (4 kDa) Net Fluorescence was estimated by ImageJ. Results Colonic organoids at baseline had significantly decreased ZO-1 in UC versus HC, Figure 2. At baseline there was an increase in UC colonic organoid barrier integrity as measured by net fluorescence (density/area). In UC vs HC barrier integrity was 855 ± 203.8 vs 333.1 ± 52.9, p<0.05. After three days of simulated night shifts, barrier integrity significantly increased in both groups at was 1100 ± 342 vs 656 ± 197.9,p <0.5 (Figure 3). After 24 hours of treatment with cytokines, barrier integrity in HC, UC, misaligned HC, and misaligned UC was 2227 ± 376, 2030 ± 264, 1787 ± 402, and 1506 ± 332, (Figure 4). Conclusion Circadian misalignment by alternation of light:dark cycles (simulated night shift) causes misalignment of host central clock and impacts circadian regulated biological process like tight junction proteins which decreases colonic barrier integrity. This study highlights the importance of studying environmental factors that impact circadian timing in UC including night shift work which may be a significant risk factor for a disease flare. Further in vivo and in vitro studies are ongoing to determine the mechanisms through which circadian misalignment impacts colonic barrier integrity in UC (NCT05180279).

Rotating Night Shift Work and Bladder Cancer Risk in Women: Results of Two Prospective Cohort Studies.

Bladder cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the United States. Night shift work has previously been linked with cancer risk. Whether there is an association between rotating night shift work and bladder cancer in women has not been studied previously. Eligible participants in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS, n = 82,147, 1988-2016) and Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII, n = 113,630, 1989-2015) were prospectively followed and a total of 620 and 122 incident bladder cancer cases were documented during the follow-up of NHS and NHSII, respectively. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for bladder cancer incidence. We observed a significantly increased risk of bladder cancer among women with >5 years of night shift work history compared with women who never worked rotating night shifts in NHS (HR = 1.24; 95%CI = 1.01-1.54, p for trend = 0.06), but not in the pooled NHS and NHS II (HR = 1.18; 95%CI = 0.97-1.43, p for trend = 0.08). Secondary analyses stratified by smoking status showed no significant interaction (p = 0.89) between the duration of rotating night shift work and smoking status. In conclusion, our results did not provide strong evidence for an association between rotating night shift work and bladder cancer risk.

Association between Shift Work Schedules and Cardiovascular Events in a Multi-Ethnic Cohort.

Shift work is known to increase the risk of cardiometabolic diseases and mortality. We investigate the relationship between shift work schedules and cardiometabolic risk factors (smoking, hypertension, and obesity) and their association with cardiometabolic diseases (diabetes and cardiovascular diseases) in a multi-ethnic population from Singapore. 2469 participants from the Singapore-based Multi-Ethnic Cohort underwent physical and clinical assessments. Shift work schedules (morning, evening, night, and mixed) were assessed using a validated questionnaire. Among shift workers, night shift workers had a significantly higher prevalence of smoking (54.5%), diabetes (27.3%), and cardiovascular events (14.1%). Compared to non-shift workers, workers in the night (OR = 2.10, 95%CI: 1.26-3.41) and mixed (OR = 1.74, 95%CI: 1.22-2.48) shift groups were more likely to be current smokers. A significant association between shift duration and smoking (OR = 1.02, 95%CI: 1.00-1.03) was also observed, with longer shift duration (in years) leading to an increase in smoking behavior. No significant associations were found between shift work schedules and hypertension, obesity (BMI), diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, as well as other cardiometabolic risk factors and diseases. This study found that shift schedules and shift duration were most strongly associated with smoking status after covariate adjustments (age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and work arrangement), with night and mixed shift types being strongly associated with current smoker status. As smoking is a modifiable risk factor for cardiometabolic disease, employers of shift workers should increase work-based health interventions to control smoking and promote a healthier workforce.

Association between night shift work and methylation of a subset of immune-related genes.

Night shift (NS) work has been associated with an increased risk of different conditions characterized by altered inflammatory and immune responses, such as cardio-metabolic and infectious diseases, cancer, and obesity. Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, might mirror alterations in biological processes that are influenced by NS work. The present study was conducted on 94 healthy female workers with different working schedules and aimed at identifying whether NS was associated with plasmatic concentrations of the inflammatory proteins NLRP3 and TNF-alpha, as well as with DNA methylation levels of ten human endogenous retroviral (HERV) sequences, and nine genes selected for their role in immune and inflammatory processes. We also explored the possible role of the body mass index (BMI) as an additional susceptibility factor that might influence the effects of NS work on the tested epigenetic modifications. We observed a positive association between NS and NLRP3 levels (p-value 0.0379). Moreover, NS workers retained different methylation levels for ERVFRD-1 (p-value = 0.0274), HERV-L (p-value = 0.0377), and HERV-P (p-value = 0.0140) elements, and for BIRC2 (p-value = 0.0460), FLRT3 (p-value = 0.0422), MIG6 (p-value = 0.0085), and SIRT1 (p-value = 0.0497) genes. We also observed that the BMI modified the relationship between NS and the methylation of ERVE, HERV-L, and ERVW-1 elements. Overall, our results suggest that HERV methylation could pose as a promising biomolecular sensor to monitor not only the effect of NS work but also the cumulative effect of multiple stressors.

Circadian Disruption and Breast Cancer Risk: Evidence from a Case-Control Study in China.

Studies had suggested an association between circadian disruptors (including night shift work, domestic light exposure at night, sleep duration, and circadian gene polymorphism) and breast cancer, while rare studies had been conducted in the Chinese population. This study was a case-control study conducted to explore the impact of circadian disruptors on the risk of breast cancer in China. Four hundred and sixty-four cases and 464 controls, admitted from the Department of Breast Surgery, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, were included in this study. Adjusting age, BMI group, smoking, alcohol consumption, menopausal status, family history of breast cancer, duration of breastfeeding, age at menarche, number of pregnancies, age at first full-term pregnancy, use of estrogen and use of oral contraceptive, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of breast cancer was higher in short sleep duration group (OR = 4.86, 95%CI: 1.73-17.33). Meanwhile, rs2292912 in CRY2, rs2253820 in PER1, rs2289591 in PER1 and rs3027188 in PER1 were positively associated with the risk of breast cancer. This study supported that the short duration of sleep and four SNPs in crucial circadian genes played a role in the development of breast cancer.

Assessment of night-shift effects on nurses’ health and work performance at South Gondar zone public hospitals, 2022

IntroductionNurses in hospitals across the world work shift to provide patient care 24 h a day. Shift work, which for nurses often includes working overnight, disrupts natural processes. The night shift work can have serious negative physical and psychological effects on nurses’ health and work performance. It has been shown that night shift work has been associated with sleep disturbances, altered physical and mental health, complicated interpersonal relationships, and a decrease in the quality of nursing care. AimThis study aims to assess night-shift effects on nurses' health and work performance at South Gondar Zone Public Hospitals, in 2022. MethodA cross-sectional study design was conducted at four hospitals, which are Debre Tabor Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Addis Zemen Primary Hospital, Mekane Eyesus Primary Hospital, and Nifas Meucha Primary Hospital. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data from 1st December 2021 to 1st February 2022. Data were entered into Epi data version 4.2 and then exported to SPSS version 24 for analysis. Data were summarized by using percentages and frequencies and the association between demographic factors and feelings of nurses about night shift work was assessed by using a bivariate and multivariable logistic regression model. ResultThe findings of the study revealed the majority of nurses (68 %) disliked night shift work. Night shift exposed nurses to different health problems such as loss of sleep (27.9 %), muscular strain (24.6 %), persistent tiredness (16.4 %), and backache (12.3 %,). Night shift work also affects the work performance of nurses by increasing workload 96(39.3 %), tiredness 74 (30.3 %), and by lowering concentration 38(15.6 %). Gender (AOR = 1.94; 95 % CI: 1.06–3.57), educational status (AOR = 2.36; 95 % CI: 1.21–4.60), and marital status (AOR = 2.08; 95 % CI: 1.09–3.98) were significantly associated with the feeling of nurses about night shift work. ConclusionIn this study the majority of nurses disliked night shift work. Nurses suffered from different health problems including physical and psychological problems. Night shift work also affects the work performance of nurses by increasing workload and tiredness as well as by lowering the concentration of nurses.

S-23-4: EFFECTS OF ROTATING NIGHT SHFT ON CIRCADIAN PATTERN OF AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE/HEART RATE, SALIVARY CORTISOL AND SULFATOXY MELATONIN LEVELS

Objective: The present study was aimed to investigate effect of Light exposute at night on 24 hours chronomics of BP/HR in terms of Double amplitude, Acrophase and Hyperbaric index and its relation with circadian rhythm of salivary cortisol and 6 sulfatoxy melatonin in rotating night shift nursing professionals and actual day workers. Design & Methods: 56 night shift nurses, aged 20 to 40 years, performing day and night shift duties were recruited from the Trauma Center, KGMU, India, and 56 age sex matched actual day workers were also enrolled as controls. BP and HR were recorded by Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) at every 30 min intervals in day time and each hour in night time during shift duties. Results: Highly significant difference was found in double amplitude (2DA) of among between night (23.10 ± 14.68) and day shift (34.27 ± 16.44) (p < 0.0005). In night shift, hyperbaric index (HBI) of mean SBP was found to be increased at 00 to 03 am (midnight) while during day shift, peak was found at 06 to 09 am. HBI of mean HR was found to be increased at 18 to 21 pm during night shift while in controls, peak was found at 09 to 12 & again 15 to 18 pm of SBP, DBP & HR. Alterations in Acrophase of BP/HR were very common among night shift workers and Ecphasia was found in few nights shift workers. Difference was found in night cortisol levels among night (4.08 ± 3.28) vs day shift (2.62 ± 2.37), while in comparison to night shift or day shift with controls (1.82 ± 1.18) these difference was significant (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Alteration in mean morning melatonin and Increased Night cortisol level were found during night shift. Reverse pattern of Acrophase and HBI of BP & HR along with salivary cortisol during night shift represents desynchronization. It indicates that the circadian rhythm was disrupted during night shift and recovery occurs during day shit.

Working hours and the regulations for night shift workers.

There are several types of shift work in Korea: rotating shift, 24-hour shift, day-night shift, fixed night work, and.so on. As a result of analyzing the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the 6th Korean Working Condition Survey, Korean shift workers accounted for 11.6%-13.9% of wage workers. Weekly working hours of shift workers were 57.69 ± 1.73 (24-hours shift) and 49.97 ± 0.67 (fixed night shift), which were significantly longer than day workers. To prevent health consequences of night work, many countries regulate the working hours of night work not to exceed 7-9 hours a day. However, Korea does not regulate working hours for night work, and some occupations may work more hours than the prescribed overtime hours. To prevent health consequences and reduce working hours for Korean night shift workers, it is necessary to regulate the working hours of night shift workers by law.