Prevalence of night work in the Brazilian employed population

Night work and extended work schedules are among the leading occupational health risk factors.

To estimate the prevalence of night work among the employed Brazilian population.

Cross-sectional, population-based study using data from the 2019 Brazilian National Survey of Health. Individuals aged 15 years or older who belonged to the economically active employed population were included. The outcome was self-reported night work, assessed using a survey question on work performed between 8:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. Responses were recorded as 0 = no and 1 = yes. Prevalence estimates and their 95% CIs were calculated accounting for the complex survey design according to sociodemographic, occupational, and state-level characteristics. Associations were evaluated using the Rao-Scott adjusted Pearson chi-square test.

The national prevalence of night work was 13.3% (95% CI, 12.8%-13.9%), ranging from 5.8% in Acre to 16.6% in Rio de Janeiro. Night work was more frequent in urban areas (14.2%), among men (16.3%), and among higher-income individuals (15.5%). The highest prevalences were observed in the accommodation and food services (28.7%) and transportation, warehousing, and postal services (26.9%) sectors.

Approximately one in seven workers in Brazil engaged in night work. The prevalence varied according to regional, sociodemographic, and occupational characteristics, with higher prevalences in sectors requiring continuous operations. These findings underscore the importance of monitoring work schedules and implementing policies to protect the health of workers exposed to night work.