Health of female shiftworkers in Singapore

More than 200,000 persons in Singapore work shifts. Over half of these shiftworkers are females. With the continued emphasis on capital-intensive industries and growing demand for "round-the-clock" services, shiftwork is increasingly an economic necessity for more and more industries and a way of life for many Singaporeans. It is generally accepted that about 20% of those who start shiftwork may find it difficult to continue in such work, usually for social rather than medical reasons. For those who continue on shiftwork, concerns have been raised regarding possible health effects, such as increased incidence of digestive disorders and ulcers, chronic fatigue and cardiovascular disorders. In the case of female shiftworkers, there is also the concern that the added responsibilities of looking after the home and young children may further aggravate sleep problems associated with shiftwork, thus adversely affecting their health. So far, our own studies of female electronics workers on 8-hour as well as 12-hour shift schedules indicate no serious long-term health effects. The study subjects had been employed in such work for at least over a year, some as long as 17 years and 6 years, respectively. Except for complaints of sleep problems and tiredness among some rotating shiftworkers, no significant differences in symptom prevalence, blood pressure or sickness absence were found between the shift and day workers. While the findings are reassuring, further studies may be needed to determine if preventive measures can be taken to minimise the common complaints of sleep problems and tiredness, particularly among rotating shiftworkers.