Shift Work and Associated Health Consequences: A Review
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This literature review aims to examine the complex relationship between engaging in shift work and its subsequent health sequelae, while also shedding light on fields of research that require further investigation. Indexing services (i.e., Scopus and PubMed) were used to identify pertinent studies, prioritizing original research, review articles, and meta-analyses from 2018 to 2023. Papers not published in English or where full-text translation was not available, research conducted solely on non-human populations, as well as proposal and opinion papers, were excluded. Papers published before 2018 and those with a sample size of 50 participants or fewer were also omitted. The author conducted a thorough evaluation of each study to ensure its relevance and significance. After deduplication of the search results and implementation of the exclusion criteria, 51 papers were shortlisted for this review. The keywords used for the literature search were “shift work”, “health”, “night shift”, “cardiovascular”, “circadian, cancer”, “disease”, “dose-response relationship”, and “long working hours”. The results showed that shift work significantly impacts various aspects of health, presenting risks in the areas of cardiovascular health, cancer susceptibility, circadian rhythm, immunity, metabolism, reproductive health, and mental well-being. Shift workers have increased risks for diabetes, hypertension, adverse cardiac events, circadian dysrhythmia, metabolic syndrome, mental health disorders, and even certain types of cancer. Shift work exhibits significant associations with sexual and reproductive dysfunction in both sexes, including elevated risks for miscarriages and preterm birth. In conclusion, the findings underscore the need for comprehensive health interventions and further research to understand the intricate relationships between shift work and long-term health consequences.
Highlights:
- Disruption of circadian rhythm due to shift work contributes to various health issues, including altered melatonin levels, immune dysfunction, and metabolic disturbances.
- There is a critical need for longitudinal studies to explore interventions and workplace policies that can mitigate the adverse health effects of shift work.
- Addressing the multifaceted impact of shift work on health requires a holistic approach that considers factors like circadian rhythm optimization, workplace support, and tailored interventions.
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