Women in Shiftwork

A new study on women and shiftwork received a great deal of attention at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in Vancouver this October.

A study by a researcher from Queen’s University, Joan Trammer, studied a group of 227 women working shiftwork at hospitals in Kingston, Ontario. Trammer found that 17% of the women had metabolic syndrome, an indicator of heart disease.

An individual has metabolic syndrome if they have three or more of the following symptoms: abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, elevated blood glucose, elevated triglycerides and low levels of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol).

Working shiftwork can cause stress, gastronomical problems and poor eating and sleeping habits (see article: Dark Side of Shiftwork) that can contribute to the symptoms of metabolic syndrome.

The longer a woman works shifts, the greater the risk of metabolic syndrome. In Trammer’s study, 74 per cent of women who had worked shiftwork for more than 15 years had metabolic syndrome, compared to 8 per cent for women who had worked shiftwork less than six years.

Since patient care in hospitals requires 24 hours of supervision, Trammer’s next study will look at the women who have stayed healthy over years of shiftwork, and attempt to determine the habits and patterns that have allowed them to stay healthy.

Workplace Safety North has Consultant Trainers available to give presentations on shiftwork. Contact info@workplacesafetynorth.ca  or phone 1. 888. 730. 7821 for more information.