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Shift WorkEvidence & Dosage

Circadian disruption, cancer risk, countermeasures.

Evidence at a glance

Total studies
674
With abstract
41
Meta / Systematic / RCT
3
Highly cited
9
Publication years
1976–2026

Shift Work in the context of Methods

This topic is part of our "Methods" world. There you'll find methodology, evidence and the highest-impact levers — plus the order in which they sensibly build on each other.

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Top studies on Shift Work

Ranked by influential-citation count and publication year.

  1. Systematic review of shift work and nurses' health.

    Occup Med (Lond)2019n=24systematic127 influential citations

    BACKGROUND: Nursing is characterized by a working articulation in shifts to ensure continuity of care throughout the 24 h. However, shift work and the resulting desynchronization of circadian rhythms may have adverse effects on nurses'…

  2. Night-shift work and risk of colorectal cancer in the nurses' health study.

    Journal of the National Cancer Institute2003n=586126 influential citations

    Exposure to light at night suppresses the physiologic production of melatonin, a hormone that has antiproliferative effects on intestinal cancers. Although observational studies have associated night-shift work with an increased risk of…

  3. Can nurses' shift work jeopardize the patient safety? A systematic review.

    Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci2019n=19Systematic Review82 influential citations

    <h4>Objective</h4>Medication administration accounts for 40% of the nursing clinical activity in hospitals and nurses play a central role in granting the patient safety, as they are directly responsible for the patient care. This review…

  4. Recovery from shift work.

    Frontiers in neurology202341 influential citations

    One fifth of today's workforce is engaged in shift work and exposed to various mental and physical health risks including shift work disorder. Efficiently recovering from shift work through physical and mental interventions allows us to…

  5. Effects of Factors Related to Shift Work on Depression and Anxiety in Nurses

    Frontiers in Public Health2022n=9,18110 influential citations

    Background Although shift work is the foundation of the provision of 24-h continuous care in hospitals, it can negatively impact mental health in hospital workers such as nurses. Despite the connection between mental health and overall…

  6. Exploring the associations between shift work disorder, depression, anxiety and sick leave taken amongst nurses

    Journal of Sleep Research20209 influential citations

    This study aimed to evaluate the association between shift work disorder and mental health in hospital‐based nurses. Staff completed an online survey comprising demographic questions, the Shift Work Disorder Questionnaire, Patient Health‐9…

  7. Working Time Society consensus statements: Evidence-based effects of shift work and non-standard working hours on workers, family and community

    Industrial Health20197 influential citations

    Working time arrangements that require shift work or other non-standard working hours have significant potential to encroach on time that is highly valued for family, social and leisure activity. This can often result in workers…

  8. Shift work and long work hours and their association with chronic health conditions: A systematic review of systematic reviews with meta-analyses

    PLoS ONE20205 influential citations

    <h4>Background</h4>Previous reviews have demonstrated that shift work and long work hours are associated with increased risk for chronic conditions. However, these reviews did not comprehensively assessed the body of evidence, and some…

  9. The impact of occupational shift work and working hours during pregnancy on health outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology20194 influential citations

    ( Am J Obstet Gynecol . 2019;221:563–576) Women make up a significant proportion of the workforce, and most work during their pregnancies. While studies have found an association between adverse pregnancy outcomes and various working…

  10. Night-shift work duration and breast cancer risk: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

    BMC Women's Health20214 influential citations

    Background The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified shift work as a possible human carcinogen. The results of systematic on this topic is contradictory. This systematic review and meta-analysis, therefore,…

Frequently asked

What dosage was studied?
• Shift work / night work / ergonomic turnaround schedules (Not reported) • Shift work / workload / sleep deprivation exposure (Not reported)
Are there safety considerations for Shift Work?
• Shift work was linked to increased risk of stress, sleep disorders, metabolic disorders, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and breast cancer. • Night shifts, fatigue, and sleep deprivation are highlighted as contributors to medication errors.

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