Search

Aim: To investigate concurrent changes in short shift intervals (< 11 h) and workload among hospital employees. Design and Data Sources: This cohort study of 1904 employees in one hospital district in Finland utilised data on employees' working hours for short shift intervals and workload based on the patient classifications aggregated to a 3‐week period level across 2 years, 2018–2019. The data was analysed by group‐based trajectory modelling and multinominal regression models. Results: The seven trajectories model had the best fit to the data—Group 1: very few short shift intervals that are decreasing and low workload (15.0%); Group 2: a low amount of short shift intervals that are decreasing and stable low workload (14.2%); Group 3: moderate amount of short shift intervals that are slightly increasing and low workload (25.1%); Group 4: a low amount of short shift intervals that are slightly decreasing and stable low workload that is slightly increasing (12.1%): Group 5: a moderate amount of both short shift intervals and workload (19.8%): Group 6: short shift intervals that are clearly decreasing, with higher than the average workload decreasing (5.6%); Group 7: moderate amount of short shift intervals and very high workload (8.3%). Conclusions: Only a minority of hospital employees were found to have both high workloads and insufficient recovery possibilities, but the time‐related increases in objective workload were not compensated by better recovery possibilities in working hours. For shift scheduling, it is noteworthy that older employees might seek to work at units in which the workload is lower, which could be considered to support workability. Reporting Method: Record. Patient or Public Contribution: No Patient or Public Contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earlier research is lacking on the prevalence and nature of objective working hour characteristics in the retail sector. We developed a codification in the retail sector and investigated differences in objective working hour characteristics by part-time work, sex and age. The payrollbased registry data of objective working hours consisted >12,000 employees of the retail sector in Finland for 2018-2020. Descriptive statistics for means, standard deviations (SD) and range of annual working hour characteristics were calculated, the differences in means were tested, partially based on the protocol established for health care sector. The final sample had 60-63% part-time employees and 23% men. Morning shifts were more frequent (48-51%) among full-time employees compared to 27-30% of the part-time employees. Evening shifts, 43-46%, were frequent among part-time employees vs. 26% in full-time. No sex differences were detected, and age group differences only among part-time employees. To conclude, the codification for registry-based working hour data enables us to identify individual differences in working hour characteristics. The working hour characteristics differed between part-time and full-time employees, not between sexes, whereas age differences were minor and among part-time employees. The codification could be used in studies of the retail sector in association with health and wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focussed on harmful exposures and mental and musculoskeletal symptoms in organic and conventional farming using interview data of Finnish farmers over the winter of 2014–2015. The data consisted of 2,169 full-time farmers, out of whom 231 (11%) practiced organic farming and 1,938 (89%) conventional farming. Exposure to poisonous and irritating substances was less frequent while exposures to vibration and mould ('smell of root cellar') were more frequent on organic farms. Mental and musculoskeletal symptoms were slightly more common among organic farmers, but the associations were not statistically significant in regression modelling. Risk factors for mental symptoms included animal production, hired labour, female gender, constant hurry, working alone, economic uncertainty, and inadequate recovery from workdays. Risk factors for musculoskeletal symptoms included older age, female gender, constant hurry, economic uncertainty, difficult working postures, heavy lifting and carrying, and inadequate recovery. Workload and recovery, managing the transition period and better follow-up of the occupational well-being were identified as concerns among organic farmers. Practitioner summary: Converting from conventional to organic farming has become increasingly common. Farmer interviews indicated that exposure to poisonous and irritating substances was less frequent while exposures to vibration and mould were more frequent on organic farms. Mental and musculoskeletal symptoms and risk factors were similar in both types of farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to investigate the associations of working hour characteristics based on the international and local definitions with sickness absence (SA) among airport security personnel. The payroll-based registry data of daily working hours for 2016-2019 at one airport was limited to those with ≥30 work shifts in a year (n=377-687 employees). The conditional Poisson model for incidence rate ratios (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was used for analyses. Based on the international definitions, only a few associations were found: each one-unit increase in weekly working hours and the number of consecutive working days were associated with a lower likelihood of SA. The local definitions were more consistently associated with SA: Each one-unit increase in shift length and time between shifts, higher variation in shift length, and the number of consecutive evening and night shifts were associated with a higher likelihood of SA. To conclude, especially the local definitions of working hour characteristics seem to be important limits for short SA. Thus, high variability of shift lengths and prolonged shifts could be avoided to reduce the risk of SA. Overall, keeping the working hours within any of the recommendations among airport security personnel could support well-being and health.