A study from Huazhong University of Science and Technology reveals that shift work is associated with a higher risk of developing depression and anxiety.
The research used data from the U.K. Biobank baseline survey, involving 175,543 employed or self-employed workers, of which 16.2% reported shift work.
During a median follow-up of 9.06 years, 2.3% of workers developed depression and 1.7% developed anxiety.
The risk factors that partially mediated the relationship between shift work and mental health were smoking, sedentary time, body mass index, and sleep duration.
The research team, led by Minzhi Xu, Ph.D., scrutinized the effects of shift work on mental health in a cohort study involving a substantial number of participants.
Shift workers, comprising 16.2% of the cohort, exhibited elevated risks for both depression and anxiety.
Diving into the Numbers
According to the study, the hazard ratios for developing depression and anxiety among shift workers were 1.22 and 1.16, respectively, in the fully adjusted model.
Interestingly, the frequency of shifts was positively associated with the risk of developing these mental health conditions, while the number of years working shifts showed a negative association.
Lifestyle Factors Play a Significant Role
The study identified modifiable risk factors like smoking, sedentary lifestyle, body mass index, and sleep duration as significant mediators in the association between shift work and mental health.
Specifically, these factors explained 31.3% of the risk for depression and 21.2% for anxiety among shift workers.
Implications of the Study
The authors of the study argue that their findings underscore the necessity for public health interventions targeting shift workers.
Given the identified modifiable risk factors, interventions could include smoking cessation programs, lifestyle modifications such as increased physical activity, and sleep hygiene improvement strategies.
Conclusion: The Need for Proactive Measures
The study bolsters the notion that shift work should be regarded as an occupational hazard and calls for immediate public health interventions.
The spotlight is now on policymakers and employers to create supportive environments that can mitigate the detrimental effects of shift work on mental health.
If you care about depression, please read studies about a core feature of depression, and common depression drugs linked to early death risk.
For more information about mental health, please see recent studies about how dairy foods may influence depression risk, and results showing Omega-3 fats may help reduce depression.
The study was published in JAMA Network Open.
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