Shift Work and Worker Health: Beyond the Shift Work and Cancer Tie

Over twenty percent of the U.S. workforce holds jobs that the World Health Organization now considers possible causes of cancer. Most people who work extended hours, shifts, or nights have probably already seen the “Graveyard Shift Soon to Be Listed As ‘Probable’ Cause of Cancer” article, and gotten appropriately nervous. But, for the bad news before the good, shift work brings health risks that go far beyond the big threat of cancer. The good news is that shift work does not automatically cause cancer, of course, and many habits common among shift workers have long been known to increase the risk of cancer. So, certain lifestyle changes can quickly cause your risk of cancer, and other diseases and chronic problems, to plummet.

Recently, a reporter for the Associated Press wrote a widely distributed article titled, “Graveyard Shift Soon to Be Listed As ‘Probable’ Cause of Cancer, a Link Once Seen as Wacky”. Obviously, many shift workers took notice. It’s not that the potential link between cancer and shift work hasn’t been raised before. It certainly has. But this article was noticed because of the use of the word “probable” – probable, not possible, uncertain or unknown.

The article states that the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer arm of the World Health Organization, is going to add overnight shift work as a probable carcinogen. The article further states that the American Cancer Society says it will likely follow suit.

With over a fifth of the U.S. workforce working shift work, this is serious stuff. Over the years there have been many negative health outcomes attributable to shift work reported.

Here are some examples:

· Shift workers have up to a 50% increase in incidence of cardiovascular disease

· Over 32% of shift workers report chronic or frequent back problems, 27% report chronic or frequent leg problems

· Nearly 12% of shift workers have obstructive sleep apnea, compared to 2%-4% of the regular population

· Up to 75% of night workers have gastrointestinal problems—peptic ulcers are up to 5 times more frequent These risks can, and often are, managed with worker training, support via company employee assistance programs, worker motivation and family cooperation towards making necessary lifestyle changes.

Some examples of lifestyle differences of shift workers contributing to these health issues are:

· Only 28% of shift workers report having good nutritional practices.

· 77% of shift workers report not exercising regularly

· 71% of men, and 53% of women shift workers are overweight

· 54% of all shift workers have smoked or currently smoke, 55% of men and 51% of women; compared to 25% and 21%, respectively, of non-shift workers

· 43% of shift workers drink alcohol on non-workdays; workers non-adapted to shift work show at least double the rate of drinking as adapted workers.

· Shift workers sleep an average 6.5 hours on workdays—nightshift-only workers sleep even less1

1 Prior fact sections attributable to Circadian Technologies, Inc., Health in Extended Hours Operations.

The American Cancer Society’s Basic Facts brochure states “Cancer is caused by both external factors (tobacco, chemicals, radiation, and infectious organisms) and internal factors (inherited mutations, hormones, immune conditions, and mutations that occur from metabolism). These causal factors may act together or in sequence to initiate or promote carcinogenesis.” The brochure further states “Scientific evidence suggests that about one third of the cancer deaths expected to occur in 2007 will be related to overweight or obesity, physical inactivity, and nutrition and could thus be prevented”.

One of the brochure’s charts shows that more than half of the expected cancer deaths will be from digestive or respiratory related cancers. The brochure also states that “cigarette smoking is by far the most important risk factor for lung cancer. It says “male smokers are 23 times more likely to develop lung cancer than nonsmokers”. Also, “smoking is the most important factor for bladder cancer. The Center for Disease Control reports that 440,000 deaths each year are attributable to smoking (not all cancer related).

The American Cancer Society’s brochure states that “tobacco smoking increases the risk” of pancreatic cancer. It further says, “Risk also appears to increase with obesity”. The brochure says, related to oral cavity or pharynx cancer, “Known risk factors include cigarette, cigar or pipe smoking, use of smokeless tobacco; and excessive consumption of alcohol”. Cigarette smoking has also been linked to leukemia.

The brochure says that, “Obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, a diet high in red or processed meat, and inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables”, is associated with colon or rectal cancers. It also says that “International studies suggest a diet high in saturated fat may be a risk factor” for prostate cancer and that “there is some evidence that the risk of dying from prostate cancer may increase with obesity”.

Environmental factors, more common among shift workers, such as lack of physical activity, obesity, poor nutrition, smoking, exposure to third party smoke, excessive alcohol can all be managed. In the workplace, access to certain hazardous chemicals with the potential to cause cancer is carefully controlled. Managers at most companies provide training and education as well as support for shift workers around these types of environmental factors so workers can reduce their risks of all kinds of disease. Most companies take this information very seriously, as seriously as their workers do. This is the real story that was, for the most part, missing in the AP article.

This material is provided for personal, non-commercial, educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement

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