Interaction of age with shift-related sleep-wakefulness, sleepiness, performance, and social life.

It is not clear how the age-related changes in sleep are related to performance and subjective sleepiness at different time of the day. The aim of the present study was to study work shift related interactions of age with sleep-wakefulness, performance, and social life. A representative sample of aircraft maintenance workers in a continuous three-shift system was studied by a questionnaire (n = 275) and an on-site field (n = 49) study. In the field study, sleep length and quality and different ratings of social and other activities were studied with an actigraphy and a Pocket PC diary during 15 consecutive days. Subjective sleepiness (KSS) and vigilance performance (PVT) were registered at work. Although the shift type influenced the sleep, subjective sleepiness, performance, and social life, age was distinctly related only to shift-related changes in the amount of sleep, subjective sleepiness, and psychomotor vigilance. Night shifts were related with shorter sleep, decreased performance, and increased sleepiness. Although subjective sleepiness was greatest among the youngest (25-34 years) age group during the morning and the night shifts, the increase of performance lapses was higher among the middle-aged (35-49 years) and senior (50-58 years) groups during the night shifts compared to the youngest age group. According to the questionnaire, older shiftworkers also tended to perceive more frequently that subjective sleepiness decreases their work performance during the morning and night shifts. The results indicate of no direct link between age-related differences in subjective sleepiness and performance at night work. The shorter day sleep after the night shifts and higher deterioration of subjective and objective performance according to age urge on development of shift schedules aiming at lower fatigue levels during the night shifts.

Flexible work hours, health and well-being in the European Union: preliminary data from a SALTSA project.

Demand for flexible work hours (FWH) is increasing in Europe aimed at increasing the number of production hours on one hand, and, on the other, reducing individual working hours and/or increasing autonomy and control on them. In view of the lack of knowledge of the effects of FWH on health and safety, we started a pilot project, funded by the Joint Programme for Working Life Research in Europe (SALTSA), aimed at: a) comparing the most relevant national legislation and how the EU Directive 93/104 "concerning certain aspects of working time" has been implemented in the member States; b) reporting prevalence and trend of FWH in Europe according to the three EU Surveys on Working Conditions carried out in the last decade; c) collecting practical examples of innovative FWH; d) evaluating their impact on health and safety in relation to work sectors, job demands, social life, aging and gender. Consequent actions are going to include information and consultancy for pertinent authorities and social parties involved, as well as training programmes for Union officials and similar groups concerning the organisation of FWH according to ergonomic principles.

Flexible working hours and well-being in Finland.

Flexibility of working hours became more prevalent in the 1990s in Finland. According to a representative survey on Finnish wage and salary earners (n = 1790) at the beginning of 2000, a great majority of male (76%) and female (65%) employees regularly worked overtime and/or had irregular working hours every month. These employees were flexible in meeting the needs of their companies/employers. Individual flexibility of working hours was far less common, only one third of male and female employees were able to regulate their working hours. A better balance between company-controlled and individual flexibility would, however, improve the well-being of employees. Employees working overtime without being allowed to regulate their working hours felt more symptoms of distress and had more conflicts in combining workplace and family roles than those who could individually determine their working hours flexibly. An investment in individually determined flexibility, for example by means of participatory planning, would improve the well-being of employees, and thus also improve the productivity of the organization.

Shiftwork, age and well-being: recent developments and future perspectives.

The working population is aging fast in most European countries and in the USA. The health and well-being of an elderly shift worker depends on the interaction of several individual, medical, psychosocial and job-related factors. These factors are related to the biological ageing process, but also to changes in one's individual life situation and the needs of the ageing shift worker. The evidence of good age-specific solutions in working hours is limited, but the few published intervention studies support the use of individual flexibility, rapid forward rotating shift systems, and earlier shift start-end times in three-shift work. In addition to the development of shift schedules, the counter-measures to improve the health and well-being of ageing shift workers should be focused on the improvement of occupational health care and the promotion of appropriate coping mechanisms for the aging.

Individual flexibility: an essential prerequisite in arranging shift schedules for midwives.

The irregular shift system in Finnish hospitals with schedules traditionally planned for short 3-week periods creates problems in the social life of the personnel. Current backward rotation with 'quick returns' and rest periods between the shifts which are too short cause fatigue. The possibilities provided by legislation for individual and functional flexibility in the planning of schedules have not been utilized because of the hierarchical structure of hospital organizations. This study was aimed at finding measures to reduce the strain caused by irregular shift work. It consisted of two parts: a survey of midwives doing a three-shift work in hospitals (n = 366), and an intervention in six maternity wards (n = 45). During the 6-month intervention the influence potential of the personnel increased, and the number of quick returns fell. As a result, the mental strain of the work decreased and the stress levels fell. The positive effects were evident especially among the elderly midwives: their work became less strenous and their social interaction improved. Despite the positive effects of the intervention, 55% preferred the former system with longer continuous free time. The physiological criteria for a good shift system were outweighed by the demands of social life, emphasizing the importance of individual flexibility and participation in the planning process.

Burnout of female and male nurses in shiftwork.

Burnout and psychological stress of nurses in two- and three-shift work was analysed. The study concerned 124 mental health nurses and 162 nurses of mentally handicapped persons; half of the nurses were women. Fifty-two per cent were in three-shift work and the other half worked in two shifts. The Maslach Burnout Inventory was used as a measure of burnout. The inventory has three categories: psychological fatigue; loss of enjoyment of work; and (attitudinal) hardening. Female nurses in three-shift work reported more stress symptoms and had ceased to enjoy their work more often than women in two-shift work. Psychological fatigue and hardening were not dependent on the shift system. Male nurses experienced the same amount of burnout and stress in two- and three-shift work. Besides shiftwork, occupational demands and passive stress coping strategies contributed to the experience of burnout and stress. Family demands did not correlate with burnout of the nurses.

Burnout and its causes in Finnish dentists.

In the spring of 1986 burnout and its relation to social and physical environments and the nature of work were studied using a questionnaire sent to a sample of 232 dentists aged under 62 living in the province of Uusimaa, Finland. Most male and female dentists (71 and 67%, respectively) were working in group practices and most (88%) employed an assistant. Professional problems were generally (71%) solved by consulting colleagues. Half of those responding were very satisfied with their relationship to other dental staff. All but 9% of dentists experienced problems in their physical working environments and 22% felt that their uncomfortable working posture interfered significantly with job satisfaction. Women reported chronic work-related conditions diagnosed by a physician more often than men (21 vs. 10%, respectively). At the time of the study, most dentists were experiencing pain in connection with work on patients and 41% of women and 59% of men were experiencing occupational stress. Most dentists experienced at least temporary psychological fatigue as a result of their work and almost half were exhausted at the end of each day. Despite this, most enjoyed working with patients and were enthusiastic about their work. Three aspects of burnout emerged on factor analysis: psychological fatigue, loss of enjoyment of work, and hardening. One third of dentists experienced some hardening and ceased to care greatly what happened to some of their patients. Of the factors associated with working environments, only dissatisfaction with relationships with patients, problems relating to the physical environment and poor working posture significantly increased burnout.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)