AIM: To investigate age group differences in objective working-hour characteristics and their associations with short (1-3 days) sickness absence. BACKGROUND: Irregular working hours, that is shift work with non-standard schedule, may influence sickness absence rates in hospital workers. METHODS: We collected daily working hours and the first incidence of short sickness absence from the employers' electronic records from 2008 to 2017. A case-crossover study compared the characteristics of the working hours 28 days preceding the sickness absence (exposure window) and 28 days earlier (control window) across 10-year age groups (conditional logistic regression for odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI)). RESULTS: Younger employees had longer working hours and more night and consecutive shifts. Extended weekly working hours were associated with short sickness absence in all age groups. Age-related differences were few: extended working hours among oldest age group (OR: 1.01, 95% CI: 1.00-1.01) and daily working hours in the youngest and middle-age groups (Ors: 1.14-1.17) were associated with increased sickness absence. CONCLUSIONS: Length of working hours, and night and consecutive shifts differed between age, but the associations with short sickness absence were similar across all age groups. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Among older employees, the length of working hours should be paid special attention.
AIM: To investigate age group differences in objective working-hour characteristics and their associations with short (1-3 days) sickness absence. BACKGROUND: Irregular working hours, that is shift work with non-standard schedule, may influence sickness absence rates in hospital workers. METHODS: We collected daily working hours and the first incidence of short sickness absence from the employers' electronic records from 2008 to 2017. A case-crossover study compared the characteristics of the working hours 28 days preceding the sickness absence (exposure window) and 28 days earlier (control window) across 10-year age groups (conditional logistic regression for odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI)). RESULTS: Younger employees had longer working hours and more night and consecutive shifts. Extended weekly working hours were associated with short sickness absence in all age groups. Age-related differences were few: extended working hours among oldest age group (OR: 1.01, 95% CI: 1.00-1.01) and daily working hours in the youngest and middle-age groups (Ors: 1.14-1.17) were associated with increased sickness absence. CONCLUSIONS: Length of working hours, and night and consecutive shifts differed between age, but the associations with short sickness absence were similar across all age groups. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Among older employees, the length of working hours should be paid special attention.
Authors: Oxana Krutova; Aki Koskinen; Laura Peutere; Jenni Ervasti; Marianna Virtanen; Mikko Härmä; Annina Ropponen Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-07-03 Impact factor: 4.614
Authors: Tom Rosenström; Mikko Härmä; Mika Kivimäki; Jenni Ervasti; Marianna Virtanen; Tarja Hakola; Aki Koskinen; Annina Ropponen Journal: Scand J Work Environ Health Date: 2021-03-31 Impact factor: 5.024