Differences between day and nonday workers in exposure to physical and psychosocial work factors in the Danish eldercare sector.
OBJECTIVE
The possible interaction between individual and occupational risk factors, the need for meaningful intervention, and the demand for valid shift work research make the accumulation of adverse exposures at certain times of the day of special relevance with respect to occupational health. The aim of the present study was therefore to examine whether there was a clustering of detrimental work factors among female eldercare workers in fixed evening or fixed night shifts when they are compared with workers in fixed day shifts.


METHODS
This cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among 4590 female health care workers in the Danish eldercare sector. The participants worked in nursing homes, in home care, or in both. They answered questions on job demands, job control, and social support, together with questions on physical and psychological violence, physical workload, and passive smoking.


RESULTS
We found that-compared with day workers-fixed nonday workers were more exposed to low job control, low support from leaders, physical and psychological violence, and high physical demands. Nonday workers were, however, less exposed to high demands. These differences remained after control for age, job title, and workplace.


CONCLUSIONS
Exposures in the work environment of Danish eldercare workers varied between shifts. In a research perspective these findings stress the importance of adequate adjustment for work factors when the health effects of shift work are studied. Moreover, the results underscore the need for an increased awareness of work factors of special importance among nonday workers when interventions against shiftwork-related occupational disorders are designed.
Nabe-Nielsen
Kirsten
K
The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. knn@nrcwe.dk
Tüchsen
Finn
F
Christensen
Karl Bang
KB
Garde
Anne Helene
AH
Diderichsen
Finn
F
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D005851:Geriatric Nursing; D006699:Home Care Services; D018576:Home Health Aides; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011584:Psychology; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*