Objective
to describe the impact of shiftwork on the health, sleep and quality of life of railway drivers.
Methods
six hundred eleven railway drivers (schedule 4x1 and 6x2) were evaluated by polysomnography, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Insomnia Severity Index, Work Capacity Index, Quality of Life questionnaire (SF-36), Morningness-eveningness questionnaire (MEQ), and Epworth Sleepiness Scale.
Results
railway drivers assessed were 36.6 ± 15.1 years of age, 22% were obese, and 38.1% presented risks for cardiovascular disease. Poor sleep quality 64.2%, 11.6% had sleep disorders and 29.3% excessive sleepiness. The polysomnography results showed that 36.1% of them presented sleep apnea and 47.2% had significant reduction in sleep efficiency. The railway drivers showed low levels of quality of life, especially those working under the 4x1 schedule.
Conclusion
it is possible to assert that exposure to shiftwork, reverse rotation schedule, few days off, and working overtime are associated with impairment to well-being, health, sociability and workers’ sleep quality, and the factors related to shiftwork probably contribute to these findings.
sleep; health; quality of life; train drivers; shiftwork