Impact of atypical working hours on sleep and mood among healthcare workers

BACKGROUND

Atypical working hours have raised serious concerns about health effects, such as sleep disorders and psychological repercussions. These schedules are frequent among health professionals having the obligation to ensure the permanence of health services.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of atypical working hours on sleep, sleepiness, and mood among health personnel (HP).

METHODS

Comparative descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among HP of a regional hospital in Southern Tunisia from December 2019 to May 2020. Two groups were defined according to their work schedule: group A had a fixed-day work and group B had atypical working hours. The assessment of sleep, sleepiness, and mood was based respectively on the Spiegel questionnaire, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and the Hospital Anxiety and Disorder scale.

RESULTS

A total of 101 HP in group A and 135 in group B were included. We found signs of pathological sleep in group B: greater delay in falling asleep (78.1% Vs 53.5%; p = 0.002), altered sleep quality (88.1% Vs 56.4%; p = 0.039), and more frequent occurrence of dreams (37% Vs 31.7%; p = 0.033). The quality of sleep was associated with the professional seniority (p = 0.01), the workplace (p = 0.02), and having dependent children (p = 0.04). The mean score of depression was higher in group B (p = 0.02). Depression was associated with the workplace (p = 0.04) and the quality of sleep (p = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The results of this study indicate that atypical working hours generate both sleep and mood disorders in HP. It is vital to encourage the occupational physicians to estimate sleep and mood disorders in HP.

Analysis and mapping of global research publications on shift work (2012-2021)

BACKGROUND

The main objective of the study was to identify research trends, collaboration patterns, and the most impactful publications in the field of shift work.

METHODS

Documents published in scientific journals indexed in the Scopus database on shift work were retrieved and analyzed using the title/abstract search methodology. The study period was from January 1st, 2012, to December 31st, 2021.

RESULTS

Two thousand three hundred twenty-eight documents were retrieved with an h-index of 71 and an average number of 4.5 authors per document. The cumulative number of publications showed a linear growth pattern, while that of citations showed an exponential pattern. The most frequent author keywords, excluding keywords related to shift work, were sleep, fatigue, and nursing. The average annual growth rate was 4.3, and the average doubling time was 3.2. No significant correlation was found between the number of publications and national income among prolific countries. Cross-country research collaboration was weak while the degree of author-author collaboration was relatively high. The Chronobiology International journal was the most prolific, while Harvard University was the most active institution in the field of shift work.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the volume and the negative health impact of shift work, better human resource management is needed to create safer and healthier working schedules.

Prevalence and Influencing Factors of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Medical Staff: A Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional digestive tract disease worldwide, with a high prevalence among medical staff. The purpose of this study is to systematically evaluate the prevalence and influencing factors of IBS in medical staff.

METHODS

We searched English online databases, including PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, and EBSCOhost. The retrieval time was from database establishment to May of 2021. We screened the literature according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted the relevant information, and evaluated the research quality. A meta-analysis was performed using the Stata 16.0 and Review Manager 5.4.1 software.

RESULTS

A total of 11 English studies from seven countries were included in this study, including 3,360 medical staff. The results of the meta-analysis showed an overall prevalence of IBS among medical staff of 16% [95%CI (0.15 ~ 0.17)] and that shift work (OR 2.27)), poor sleep quality (OR 4.27), and female gender (OR 2.29) are the major influencing factors of medical staff suffering from IBS.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome among medical staff is relatively high, and hospitals can start by looking for targeted interventions from the highly related factors of IBS among medical staff such as shift work patterns, females, and poor sleep quality.

Canadian Public Safety Personnel and Occupational Stressors: How PSP Interpret Stressors on Duty

Canadian public safety personnel (e.g., correctional workers, firefighters) experience potential stressors as a function of their occupation. Occupational stressors can include organizational (e.g., job context) and operational (e.g., job content) elements. Operational stressors (e.g., exposures to potentially psychologically traumatic events) may be inevitable, but opportunities may exist to mitigate other occupational stressors for public safety personnel. Research exploring the diverse forms of stress among public safety personnel remains sparse. In our current qualitative study we provide insights into how public safety personnel interpret occupational stressors. We use a semi-grounded thematic approach to analyze what public safety personnel reported when asked to further comment on occupational stress or their work experiences in two open-ended comment fields of an online survey. We provide a more comprehensive understanding of how public safety personnel experience occupational stress and the stressors that are unique to their occupations. Beyond known operational stressors, our respondents (n = 1238; n = 828) reported substantial difficulties with organizational (interpersonal work relationship dynamics; workload distribution, resources, and administrative obligations) and operational (vigilance, work location, interacting with the public) stressors. Some operational stressors are inevitable, but other occupational stressors can be mitigated to better support our public safety personnel.

The relationship between anthropometric measures and cardiometabolic health in shift work: findings from the Atlantic PATH Cohort Study

PURPOSE

To evaluate the relationship between anthropometric measures and cardiometabolic health in shift workers compared to non-shift workers.

METHODS

A population health study was conducted with 4155 shift workers and 8258 non-shift workers from the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow's Health (PATH) cohort. Linear and logistic regression models were used to assess the differences in anthropometric measures (body adiposity) and self-reported cardiometabolic disease outcomes (obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease) between shift workers and non-shift workers.

RESULTS

There was a significant increased risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes among shift workers compared to matched controls despite higher levels of physical activity and lower levels of sedentary behaviour. Shift workers were 17% more likely to be obese (95% CI 7-27) and 27% more likely to have diabetes (95% CI 8-51). The strength of this association was demonstrated by also controlling for body mass index and fat mass index.

CONCLUSIONS

Shift work is associated with obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes despite higher levels of physical activity and lower levels of sedentary behaviour. The association between shift work and cardiometabolic health was independent of body mass index for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and independent of fat mass index for diabetes.

Exploration of the adverse effects of shift work in a multicultural environment

BACKGROUND

Given that shift work spreads across many different business sec-tors, studies of its adverse effects are very topical. Much research has been done on the negative impact of shift work, but many researchers have not focused on its impact in a multicultural environment.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to map out how shift work is perceived by workers in two different shift regimes and two national groups.

METHODS

The research was carried out on Czech manufacturing workers and Turkish airport ground personnel using a questionnaire. The impact of shift work was studied from physical, mental, social and health aspects with connection to family status and gender. For statistical evaluation, Pearson's chi-squared test of independence was used. The effect of shift work on workers' performance and scrap rate was analysed only on the sample of the manufacturing workers.

RESULTS

Fifty-five Czech male workers, 49 Turkish male workers and 60 Turkish female workers participated in the survey. The dependence between sexes was confirmed for mental aspects and sleeping routines. The main difference between nationalities is in work attitude, social aspects and sleeping routines. According to the family status, the difference was confirmed in all areas except social aspects. The lowest values of productivity and the highest scrap rate were observed on night shifts and the maximum productivity and lowest scrap rates were observed on afternoon shifts.

CONCLUSIONS

Some of the basic assumptions were confirmed which suggests that a multicultural environment has an influence on the perception of shift work by the nations and gende.

Exploration of the adverse effects of shift work in a multicultural environment

BACKGROUND

Given that shift work spreads across many different business sectors, studies of its adverse effects are very topical. Much research has been done on the negative impact of shift work, but many researchers have not focused on its impact in a multicultural environment.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to map out how shift work is perceived by workers in two different shift regimes and two national groups.

METHODS

The research was carried out on Czech manufacturing workers and Turkish airport ground personnel using a questionnaire. The impact of shift work was studied from physical, mental, social and health aspects with connection to family status and gender. For statistical evaluation, Pearson's chi-squared test of independence was used. The effect of shift work on workers' performance and scrap rate was analysed only on the sample of the manufacturing workers.

RESULTS

Fifty-five Czech male workers, 49 Turkish male workers and 60 Turkish female workers participated in the survey. The dependence between sexes was confirmed for mental aspects and sleeping routines. The main difference between nationalities is in work attitude, social aspects and sleeping routines. According to the family status, the difference was confirmed in all areas except social aspects. The lowest values of productivity and the highest scrap rate were observed on night shifts and the maximum productivity and lowest scrap rates were observed on afternoon shifts.

CONCLUSIONS

Some of the basic assumptions were confirmed which suggests that a multicultural environment has an influence on the perception of shift work by the nations and gende.

Anger Suppression and Rumination Sequentially Mediates the Effect of Emotional Labor in Korean Nurses

The degree of emotional labor in nurses has been associated with negative physical and psychological health indices. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between emotional labor and depressive and anxiety symptoms in nurses. Specifically, the study addressed the question of whether anger suppression and anger rumination sequentially mediated the relationship. A total of 99 nurses was recruited from a university hospital in Korea. The questionnaires included instruments assessing emotional labor, anger suppression, anger rumination, as well as depressive and anxiety symptoms. Consistent with our hypothesis, there was a significant indirect effect of anger suppression and anger rumination on the relationship between emotional labor and depressive symptoms, as well as on the relationship between emotional labor and anxiety symptoms. The nurses’ degree of emotional labor, anger suppression, and anger rumination was associated with psychological adjustment. Thus, the impact of nurses’ negative affect needs to be adequately addressed, as inadequate resolution of anger may increase their vulnerability to experience depressive and anxiety symptoms. These findings may contribute to developing a strategy for enhancing nurses’ psychological health.

Occupational physical and emotional fitness

Sports medicine is a wide field of knowledge with a focus on the physical and psychological aspects of individuals; unfortunately, it is not well-known among occupational therapy practitioners. If at all, it is focused on exercise therapy for physical injuries and pain. We agree there are many types of physical pain and injuries among workers in different occupations, but not all that pain is related to physical overuse. Recently, new recommendations were presented by the American College of Sports Medicine highlighting particularly the psychological aspects of occupational emotional fitness. However, there is very little research about the concurrent effects of cost-effective packages of therapy for occupational emotional and physical fitness. Accordingly, this commentary reviews the occupational physical and emotional fitness aspects of sports medicine. In addition, this work makes suggestions to examine packages and protocols of physical and emotional fitness, with therapeutic targets for occupational cultures in different societies for employees and employers.

Comparing Exercise Prescription Methods in Knee Osteoarthritis Patients in Malaysia

Aim: This study was a qualitative study that investigated the exercise prescription method in knee osteoarthritis patients in Malaysia. It purposed to find out the most common and effective method used by physiotherapist in prescribing exercises for knee osteoarthritis patients in Malaysia. Method: This study used a self-administered survey questionnaire. The subjects recruited for this study were diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, age range of between 50 to 80 years old.The methods of delivery were divided into three categories, which include only verbal instructions, verbal instruction together with demonstration and lastly a combination of all three methods including verbal instruction, demonstration and handouts with diagrams. Results: The results showed that 52% received their exercise prescription with verbal instruction and together with demonstration, about 43% of them received all three types of methods which included the verbal instruction, demonstration and take home handouts and 5% of them only received verbal instruction. Out of 5% who received verbal instruction alone, only 1% understood the exercises and the remaining 4% did not and 45% out of 52% who received verbal and demonstration method understood the exercises and the remaining 7% did not. 5% who received only verbal instruction did not seem to continue the exercises at home. 52% received verbal instruction together with demonstration, with about 44% of them having continued their exercises but the remaining 8% did not. 43% who received all three methods reported to continue. Conclusion: The best method of delivering exercises to knee osteoarthritis patients was proven to be the method with a combination of verbal instruction, demonstration together with a take home handout. This method showed very positive outcome and should be implemented and emphasized more in both the government and private sectors of physiotherapy departments.

State of the evidence 2017: an update on the connection between breast cancer and the environment

BACKGROUND

In this review, we examine the continually expanding and increasingly compelling data linking radiation and various chemicals in our environment to the current high incidence of breast cancer. Singly and in combination, these toxicants may have contributed significantly to the increasing rates of breast cancer observed over the past several decades. Exposures early in development from gestation through adolescence and early adulthood are particularly of concern as they re-shape the program of genetic, epigenetic and physiological processes in the developing mammary system, leading to an increased risk for developing breast cancer. In the 8 years since we last published a comprehensive review of the relevant literature, hundreds of new papers have appeared supporting this link, and in this update, the evidence on this topic is more extensive and of better quality than that previously available.

CONCLUSION

Increasing evidence from epidemiological studies, as well as a better understanding of mechanisms linking toxicants with development of breast cancer, all reinforce the conclusion that exposures to these substances - many of which are found in common, everyday products and byproducts - may lead to increased risk of developing breast cancer. Moving forward, attention to methodological limitations, especially in relevant epidemiological and animal models, will need to be addressed to allow clearer and more direct connections to be evaluated.