文章名稱
Shift Work and Health: Current Problems and Preventive Actions
輪班工作與健康：當前的問題和預防措施
前言
The paper gives an overview of the problems to be tackled nowadays by occupational health with regards to shift work as well as the main guidelines at organizational and medical levels on how to protect worker
Many surveys document that gastrointestinal troubles and diseases are more common in shift workers than in day workers. They can vary from alterations in bowel habits (mainly constipation), difficulties in digestion, flatulence, and pyrosis, to more severe disorders such as gastroduodenitits, peptic ulcer, and irritable bowel syndrome. These disorders were mostly reported in the past by several epidemiological studies, most of which were cross-sectional, and not homogeneous with regards to the diagnostic methods used (i.e. questionnaires, clinical reports, insurance databases, x-ray examination, endoscopy) and controlling for confounders (i.e. smoking, age, socio-economic status)
Shift and night work interferences on health and well being are complex and multifaceted in their origins and time manifestations, dealing with several aspects of personal characteristics, and working and living conditions.
Referring to the WHO's definition of "health", shift work is a risky condition at all the three reference levels, as it is not only a risk factor for many health disorders (e.g. gastrointestinal, psychoneurotic, cardiovascular, reproductive functions, and probably cancer), but it also perturbs psycho-physical homeostasis (e.g sleep/wake cycle and circadian rhythms) and hampers family and social life.
