Atypical work schedules are associated with poor sleep quality and mental health in Taiwan female nurses

• Published in: International archives of occupational and environmental health 2012-11, Vol.85 (8), p.877-884
• Main Authors: Lin, Pei-Chen, Chen, Chung-Hey, Pan, Shung-Mei, Pan, Chih-Hong, Chen, Chiou-Jong, Chen, Yao-Mei, Hung, Hsin-Chia, Wu, Ming-Tsang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Confidence Intervals; Data collection; Disorders of higher nervous function. Focal brain diseases. Central vestibular syndrome and deafness. Brain stem syndromes; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; Environmental Health; Fatigue - etiology; Female; Health participants; Health Surveys; Humans; Medical sciences; Mental Health; Middle Aged; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Nurses; Nursing - organization & administration; Occupational Health; Occupational Medicine/Industrial Medicine; Odds Ratio; Original Article; Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Rehabilitation; Shift work; Sleep; Sleep deprivation; Taiwan; Work Schedule Tolerance; Working conditions; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0340-0131; 1432-1246
• DOI: 10.1007/s00420-011-0730-8

Purpose To investigate the effects of shift work schedules on sleep quality and mental health in female nurses in south Taiwan. Methods This study recruited 1,360 female registered nurses in the Kaohsiung area for the first survey, and among them, 769 nurses had a rotation shift schedule. Among the 769 rotation shift work nurses, 407 completed another second survey 6–10 months later. Data collection included demographic variables, work status, shift work schedule, sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), and mental health (Chinese Health Questionnaire-12). Results Nurses on rotation shift had the poor sleep quality and mental health compared to nurses on day shift. The nurses on rotation shift had a relatively higher OR of reporting poor sleep quality and poor mental health (OR, 2.26; 95% CI, 1.57–3.28; and OR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.39–2.63, respectively). Additionally, rotation shift nurses who had ≥2 days off after their most recent night shifts showed significantly improved sleep quality and mental health (PSQI decreased of 1.23 and CHQ-12 decreased of 0.86, respectively). Comparison of sleep quality between the first and second surveys showed aggravated sleep quality only in nurses who had an increased frequency of night shifts. Conclusion Female nurses who have a rotation shift work schedule tend to experience poor sleep quality and mental health, but their sleep quality and mental health improve if they have ≥2 days off after their most recent night shifts. This empirical information is useful for optimizing work schedules for nurses.