Association of job strain with working hours, shift-dependent perceived workload, sleepiness and recovery.
We explored the relationship of job strain with working hours, shift-dependent perceived workload, sleepiness and recovery. Nurses/nursing assistants (n = 95) were recruited from wards that belonged to either the top (high-strain group, HJS) or the bottom (low-strain group, LJS) job strain quartiles of a Job Content Questionnaire survey of employees in five health care districts and four cities in Finland. Three-week field measurements during naturally occurring shift schedules and a subset of pre-selected shift arrangements consisted of the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale, perceived workload and recovery. The HJS group (n = 42) had more single days off and quick returns than the LJS group (n = 53, p < 0.01), and both mental workload and physical workload were rated as higher (p < 0.01). During naturally occurring shift arrangements, severe sleepiness was more common in the HJS group only in quick returns (p = 0.04) and the HJS group recovered on average more poorly from work after all shifts (p = 0.01) and morning shifts (p = 0.02). During pre-selected shift arrangements, the differences between the groups were only minor. In conclusion, job strain-related differences in sleepiness and recovery were mostly attributable to differences in shift arrangements.
a Finnish Institute of Occupational Health , Helsinki , Finland.
Kati
K
Karhula
Mikko
M
Härmä
Mikael
M
Sallinen
Christer
C
Hublin
Jussi
J
Virkkala
Mika
M
Kivimäki
Jussi
J
Vahtera
Sampsa
S
Puttonen
D000328:Adult; D006970:Disorders of Excessive Somnolence / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D016272:Occupational Health; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance / Q000523:psychology*; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology*