Association between split shift work and work-related injury and disease absence

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Shift work, especially split shifts, is recognized as a factor impacting sustainable employment.
• Limited research exists on the specific health consequences of split shift work.
• This study addresses the knowledge gap concerning split shifts and their association with health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between split shift work and absences due to work-related injury.
• To examine the association between split shift work and absences due to work-related disease.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey, including 4,042 paid shift workers.
• Employed a questionnaire to collect information on shift work type and self-reported work-related injury and disease absence.
• Conducted logistic regression analysis, using rotating shift workers as the reference group.

Main Results:

• 24.3% of shift workers (980 out of 4,042) were identified as split shift workers.
• Split shift work showed a significantly higher adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for absence due to work-related injury (2.94; 95% CI: 1.85-4.68).
• A high aOR was also observed for absence due to work-related disease among split shift workers (1.58; 95% CI: 1.09-2.29).

Conclusions:

• Split shift work is associated with a substantially increased risk of absence from work due to injuries.
• The findings indicate that split shift schedules elevate the likelihood of employees being absent because of occupational diseases.
• Implementing policies to mitigate the adverse health effects of split shift work is recommended.