Exploring the associations between shift work disorder, depression, anxiety and sick leave taken amongst nurses

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the association between shift work disorder and mental health in hospital-based nurses. Staff completed an online survey comprising demographic questions, the Shift Work Disorder Questionnaire, Patient Health-9 and the General Anxiety Disorder-7 scale. Sick leave data were collected from archival records from the Human Resources Department. Two hundred and two nurses (95% female; age M = 35.28 years ± SD = 12) participated (42% of eligible staff). Those at high risk of shift work disorder had higher depression (M = 7.54 ± SD = 4.28 vs. M = 3.78 ± SD = 3.24; p < 0.001) and anxiety (M = 5.66 ± SD = 3.82 vs. M = 2.83 ± SD = 3.33, p < 0.001) compared to those at low ..