Earticle

본 연구의 목적은 한국의 소규모 산업장에 근무하는 생산직 근로자의 초과근무가 건강관련 삶의 질에 미치는 영향을 분석하기 위함이다. 본 서술적 조사연구는 2015년 10월부터 11월까지 6개의 소규모 사업장에서 근무 하는 생산직 근로자 229명을 대상으로 하였다. 융합적 관점으로 다양한 변수들의 영향을 고려한 상태에서 생산직 근로자의 건강관련 삶의 질에 영향을 미치는 초과근무의 영향을 파악하기 위하여 위계적 회귀분석을 실시하였다. 그 결과 초과근무를 투입하였을 때 설명력 변화가 유의하게 증가하였으며, 생산직 근로자의 건강관련 삶의 질에 영향을 미치는 요인은 초과근무(β=.152, p=.025), 우울(β=-.192, p=.003), 야간근무(β=-.201, p=.032)였다. 본 연구 결과는 향후 한국의 생산직 근로자의 건강관련 삶의 질을 높이기 위한 최적 근로시간 기준을 마련하는데 기초자료 로 활용될 수 있을 것이다.

This study investigated the effects of overtime work on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of Korean blue-collar workers. This cross-sectional study collected data on 229 Korean blue-collar workers in six small-sized companies from October to November 2015. The data were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression analysis to estimate the effect of overtime work while considering convergence variables. In the hierarchical regression model, when overtime work variable was included in the model, R2 change was statistically significant. The significant predictors for HRQoL were overtime work (β=.152, p=.025), depression (β=-.192, p=.003) and night shift work (β=-.201, p=.032). The results of this study provide a basic data for establishing optimal working hours standards for improving the quality of life of Korean blue-collar workers.

목적: 보건복지부 야간근무 가이드라인에 따른 간호사의 교대근무와 근무표에 대한 인식을 분석하기 위함이다. 방법: 연구대상자는 2020년 9월 한 달간의 근무표, 각 근무조의 정규근무시간, 근무조 당 시간외근무시간에 대한 질문에 응답한 487명의 간호사였다. 간호사의 근무표에 대한 인식은 만족도, 일-생활 균형 적합도, 공평성에 대해 측정하였다. 결과: 응답자의 1/3이 주당 40시간 이상 근무를 하였고, 근무조 당 평균 1.14시간의 시간외근무를 하였다. 비사회적 근무시간은(주중 오후 8시 이후와 오전 6시 이전, 주말과 공휴일 0시부터 24시) 전체 근무시간의 56.4%였다. 9월 마지막 야간근무 시 간호사는 평균 9.62시간 동안 근무하였고, 휴게시간은 39분이었으며 20.5%의 응답자는 휴게시간이 없었다. 68.0%의 간호사는 연속된 야간근무 후 다음 근무까지 휴게시간이 48시간 미만이었던 경험을 적어도 한 번 이상 하였다. 57.0%는 그들의 근무표에 만족하고 있었다. 1/3의 응답자는 그들의 근무표가 일-생활 균형을 이루기에 적합하다고 하였고, 2/3은 주말 휴무일과 야간근무가 병동 내에서 공평하게 배분되었다고 인식하였다. 근무시간과 시간외 근무시간은 간호사의 근무표에 대한 인식 3문항과 모두 역의 상관관계가 있었다. 비사회적 근무시간의 비중이 높고, 야간근무 시 휴게시간이 없을수록 공평성에 대한 인식은 낮았다. 결론: 근무시간을 줄이고 야간근무 시 휴게시간을 보장하며, 비사회적 근무시간에 대한 보상을 늘이는 것이 근무표에 대한 간호사의 인식을 향상시키고 교대근무로 인한 이직을 줄이기 위해 요구된다.

Purpose: To analyze nurses’ shift work according to the government guidelines for night work and their perceptions of their work schedules. Methods: The study sample included 487 nurses who provided information on their schedules, including the normal working hours of each shift, and overtime per shift during September 2020. Nurses’ perceptions were measured in terms of satisfaction, appropriateness for work-life balance, and fairness to their work schedule. Results: One-third of the respondents worked more than 40 hours per week. The average overtime hour was 1.14 hours per shift. Unsocial hours (8 pm to 6 am on weekdays, midnight to midnight on weekends and public holidays) accounted for 56.4% of all working hours. During their last night shift, on average, nurses worked 9.62 hours and had a break of 39 minutes, although 20.5% reported no break. Sixty-eight percent of nurses had at least one between-shift break shorter than 48 hours after a consecutive night shifts. Fifty-seven percent were satisfied with their schedule. One-third perceived their schedule as appropriate for work-life balance, and two-thirds perceived that days off on weekends and nights were fairly distributed within the unit. Working and overtime hours had an inverse relationship with all three aspects of nurses’ perceptions. A higher proportion of unsocial hours and having no breaks during the night shift were associated with lower perceptions of fairness. Conclusion: Reducing working hours, ensuring breaks during night shifts, and increasing rewards for unsocial hours are required to improve nurses’ perceptions and reduce turnover due to shift work.

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between work types (fixed night shift, rotating night shift, and fixed daytime work) and workers' health. Methods : The data were from the 7th Korean Working Conditions Survey (2023), focusing on questions related to night and shift work. The study analyzed 348 workers on fixed night shifts, 629 on rotating night shifts, and 44,907 on fixed day shifts. Results : The results showed that workers on rotating night shifts experienced higher levels of sleep-maintenance insomnia and non-restorative sleep compared to those on fixed night shifts and day shifts. Workers on rotating night shifts have also been shown to be most vulnerable to mental health problems. The risk of experiencing generalized fatigue was highest among fixed night shift workers. Conclusion : As the number of night shift workers steadily increases, ongoing efforts to improve their health are essential. Therefore, it is necessary to develop and reorganize various strategies and systems to effectively address these challenges.

Based on a literature review regarding shift work, it is recognized that it has an adverse effect on workers’ health. Especially, the night shift rather than the day shift imposes severe disorders on workers, which are indicated to dyssomnia, maladaptation to social life, and health problems such as gastroenteric trouble, cardiovascular diseases and depression. As the shift work can be explainable by using workers’ labor ability necessarily to maintain company business consistently, it does not consider biorhythm, active mass and health condition of workers Actually duration of shit work would deprive workers of fundamental life rights by causing physical and mental effects. As a result of reviewing previous case studies related to effect of work pattern (day shift and night shift) on workers’ health, an incidence of physical diseases like dyssomnia, gastroenteric trouble, cardiovascular diseases and premature delivery was higher in shift workers than normal workers. Additionally the incidence of mental disorders such as busy brain, social isolation, depression and work stress was also higher in shift workers than normal workers. These adverse physical and mental problems were intensified to night shift workers compared to day shift workers. Considering current various reports and study results, it is recommended that the shift work, especially the night work pattern, should not apply to contemporary work situation for sustaining workers’ health condition constantly.

Purpose: This study compared sleep quality, insomnia, chronic fatigue, and work performance between nurses working fixed night shifts and those working rotating three-shift schedules and examined the relationships among these variables by work schedule type. Factors associated with work performance were also identified. Methods: This cross-sectional survey included nurses working at a university hospital. Data were collected using structured questionnaires measuring sleep quality, assessed with the Korean version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, insomnia, chronic fatigue, and work performance. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, nonparametric tests, Spearman’s correlation coefficients, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis using SPSS version 30.0 program. Results: Insomnia differed significantly between nurses working fixed night shifts and those working rotating three-shift schedules. Among nurses on rotating three-shift schedules, poorer sleep quality, greater insomnia, and higher chronic fatigue were significantly associated with lower work performance, whereas sleep-related variables were not significantly associated with work performance among fixed-night-shift nurses. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that education level, job satisfaction and fixed-night-shift work were significant factors associated with work performance. The final model explained 17.0% of the variance in work performance, with an adjusted R2 of .15. Job satisfaction showed the strongest association. Conclusion: The relationship between sleep-related factors and work performance differed by work schedule type. These findings suggest that interventions to improve nurses’ work performance should combine sleep health management with organizational strategies, particularly efforts to improve job satisfaction. The role of fixed-night-shift nursing systems should be examined further in future studies.

Purpose: This study was an experimental study to compare the inhalation effects of aroma essential oil on the quality of sleep (QOS) for shift nurses after working nights. Methods: The participants were 60 healthy adults who didn't have any disease. As an experimental treatment, the participants in the experimental group were asked to inhale essential oil for 3 minutes at a distance of approximately 10 cm from their nose and then they were asked to sleep with the aroma stone beside their head (within a 30 cm distance). QOS were measured four times on Pretest, Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 after they slept. To measure QOS, Perceived QOS (Numeric Rating Scale), the Verran & Synder-Halpern (VSH) Sleep Scale were used, and number of awakenings (NoA) was measured by Actigraph. Results: There were no significant differences in the homogeneity tests for general characteristics and dependent variables prior to the experiments, except for VSH of subjective sleep quality. Also, there was no significant interaction between group and time. The VSH of the experimental group was higher than the control group (F=6.39, p=.002). The NoA between the experimental group and the control group was significantly different after experimental treatment 3rd day (F=13.35, p=.001). Conclusion: The findings show that the inhalation of aroma essential oil had effects to increase the quality of sleep. Therefore, the inhalation of aroma essential oil could be applied to general nursing interventions to improve the quality of sleep.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the influence of consecutive night-shift work and working time on insomnia among hospital nurses. Methods: A descriptive correlational research designutilizing secondary data analysis was adopted. Data on consecutive night-shift work, working time, and insomnia were collected from 64 hospital nurses using a Fitbit activity tracker and questionnaires, and analyzed using hierarchical logistic regression. Results: Consecutive night-shift work for more than three days had a significant influence on insomnia among hospital nurses. Weekly working hours also accounted significantly for the variance in insomnia, exceeding the influence of consecutive night-shift work. Conclusion: Development and implementation of proper schedules to control consecutive night-shift work and working time is important to alleviate insomnia among hospital nurses.

Background: Health-care providers typically undergo shift work and are subjected to increased stress. Night shift work may induce disturbed sleep cycles and circadian rhythm. The objective of this study was to explore if night shift workers (NSWs) show an increased risk of abnormal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 574 employees without thyroid disease and abnormal TSH at baseline who underwent annual check-ups between 2007 and 2016 in a medical center. NSWs were defined as those with working time schedules other than daytime hours. We calculated the incidence rate and estimated the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for incident abnormal TSH and subclinical hypothyroidism compared with non-NSWs using a Cox regression model. Results: A total of 56 incident abnormal TSH cases and 39 subclinical hypothyroidism cases in NSWs were identified during 3000 person-years of follow-up. In models adjusted for age, sex, obesity, and working departments, we found no increased relative risk for incident abnormal TSH (HR: 0.72, 95% confidence interval: 0.33-1.60) or subclinical hypothyroidism (HR: 0.52, 95% confidence interval: 0.19-1.45) when comparing NSWs to non-NSWs; nor were incidence rates significantly different among exclusively medical employees after excluding administrative staff. Conclusion: In this hospital-based nine-year follow-up retrospective cohort study, NSWs were not associated with increased relative risk of incident abnormal TSH and subclinical hypothyroidism, in contrast to previous cross-sectional studies.

Background: Shift work, particularly in night shifts, has been linked to adverse health outcomes, including disruptions in circadian rhythms that may contribute to metabolic disorders. However, sex-related differences in the impact of night shift work on cardiometabolic health remain understudied. This study sought to examine the relationship between night shift work and cardiometabolic health in young adults, identifying potential sex-related differences. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, a total of 3201 participants (mean age: 22.08 years, 59.9% women) were analyzed over a 17-year period. Relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate the impact of night shift work on cardiometabolic health outcomes, including obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Results: At Wave V, 74.7% of participants were diagnosed with overweight/obesity, 51.8% with abdominal obesity, 15.5% with hyperlipidemia, 29.1% with hypertension, 8.3% with type 2 diabetes, and 20.9% with MetS. Night shift work was associated with an increased risk of obesity and abdominal obesity in women (RR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.08 to 3.65 and RR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.07 to 2.56, respectively) but not in men. Women also showed an elevated risk of diabetes (RR = 2.69, 95% CI: 1.49 to 4.86), whereas no significant relationship was identified in men. Night shift work was not significantly associated with hypertension and MetS in either men or women. Conclusion: Women working night shifts may benefit from targeted interventions for cardiometabolic health, particularly in managing weight and preventing diabetes, while men did not exhibit similar associations.

Purpose: This study empirically analyzes the effect of a fixed nightshift schedule on job engagement and job satisfaction Methods: Data was collected from nurses with experience working fixed nightshifts at a tertiary general hospital located in Incheon, South Korea. The research model and hypotheses were examined using SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 25.0. Results: The results of this study are as follows; the perception of fixed nightshift, the perception of compensation/salary and the perception of personal life had positive effects on job engagement, but the perception of interrelatedness of fixed nightshift had not positive effect on job engagement. Job engagement had a positive effect on job satisfaction among nurses on the nightshift. Therefore, the results of the study are significant in that they provide new strategic insights for the effective implementation and use of different fixed-shift systems in healthcare organizations. Conclusion: To ensure nurses' job satisfaction, it is important to ensure autonomy in choosing the type of work and to establish a work system that suits the characteristics of each individual. It is necessary to create an environment in which nurses can immerse themselves in their work through different types of work and appropriate rewards for each. This study provides valuable insights for developing operational strategies to improve working conditions for nurses.

This study regarded irregular life styles such as nigh-shifts as contrary to the norm advised in the rules of Yang-saeng to analyze the problems brought about in relation to the concept of 'Yin-deficiency syndrome'. Yin-deficiency survey was given to sales workers on a big shopping mall in Seoul to compare the measurements of daytime workers to those of nigh-shift workers. The measurement of complaining symptoms related to Yin-deficiency of daytime workers and night-shift workers were compared, In comparison of the daytime workers and the night-shift workers, night-shift workers showed higher measurements than the daytime workers in the item of irritable fever on the five Hearts, flushing of the zygomatic region in the afternoon, tidal fever, dizziness, insomnia, yellow and scanty urination, and constipation. Especially tidal fever, insomnia, and constipation showed statistically significant difference. The total of ten items consisting of Yin-deficiency-related symptoms showed statistically significant high score in night-shift workers than the daytime workers. 'Factors for deficiency-type Heat' consisting of irritable fever on the five Hearts, flushing of the zygomatic region in the afternoon, tidal fever, and dried mouth and throat showed statistically significant high score in night-shift workers than the daytime workers. 'Accompanying factors' consisting of night sweats, emaciation, dizziness, insomnia, yellowish and scanty urination, and constipation also showed statistically and significantly high score in night-shift workers than the daytime workers. From the above results that night-shift workers show high degree of Yin-deficiency than daytime workers, and those overworking irregularly also show high degree of Yin-deficiency than those who work for adequate amount of time regularly implies that sitting up at night for work and sleeping at daytime, excessive work, and irregular life styles all function as high-risk factor for Yin-deficiency.