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The Study of Relationship Between Shift working & Mental Health

Author:
[ Sayed AH Marashi ] - Jondi Shapour Medical University of Ahwaz.Educadonal Development Center ,Oct. 2004

Abstract:

Among the various factors of industrial productivity, human resources are the most important. On the other hand, employees9 mental health is a great effective agent of their efficiency. However, it is a partially neglected issue. Depression is one of the most prevalent mental disorders which severly but insensibly affect employees efficiency and so industrial productivity. On the other hand, shift working is a usual course for productivity improvement. But it may in some manner contradictorily affect ultimate productivity. In fact it is accused of being a predisposing or enhancing factor of employees' depressive disorders. I have studied the issue among 224 employees of an industry in Ahwaz, some of them were shift-workers and the others worked in general shifts. The study was designed as a cross-sectional- analytical research. The personels' mental state was examined by psychometric tests (BDI & MMPI-II). For determining the probable relation between shift working and depression, "Chi Square" statistical test was used. Finally "Phi" and "Cramer's V" indexes were calculated to measure the potency of the relationship. The most important results are as fallowing: 1) 47% of the employees were affected by some kinds of mental disorders. 2) 33% of the shift-workers were depressed, compared with 17% among the personnel o the general shift (p <0.01, 0=0.185, V =0.185). Thus there is probably a relationship between shift working and depression. 3) I didn't find any relation between shift working and anxiety. 4) Also a weaker relationship was found between shift working and sleep disorders: 24% among shift-workers against 10.5% among the others (p<0.05,0 = 0.173, V =0. 173). In conclusion, I suggest some interventions like altering shift rythms and other factors wich may affect employees' mental health in workplaces. In other words, each industry should have a mental health policy planned by assistance of a mental health adviser.

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