Gastrointestinal disorders among shift workers

• Objective Our aim was to review published literature on the association between shift work and gastrointestinal (GI) disorders.Methods A systematic review of the literature was conducted of studies that have reported GI symptoms and diseases among shift workers. We used Medline to search for articles from 1966-2009. Next, we manually searched articles in the reference list of each article and previous reviews.Results Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria. Four of six studies showed a significant association between shift work and GI symptoms, and five of six studies reported an association between shift work and peptic ulcer disease. Two of three studies showed an association between shift work and functional GI disease. Only a few studies have examined gastroesophageal reflux disease, chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, or GI cancers in relation to shift work.Conclusions Our general judgment is that shift workers appear to have increased risk of GI symptoms and peptic ulcer disease. However, control for potential confounders (eg, smoking, age, socioeconomic status, and other risk factors) was often lacking or insufficient in many of the studies we examined.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

cancer; Crohn's disease; Helicobacter pylori; intestinal disease; occupational health; peptic ulcer; review; ulcerative colitis

Public health medicine research areas

Folkhälsomedicinska forskningsområden

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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