Association between shift work and extended working hours with burnout and presenteeism among health care workers from Family Medicine Centres

Abstract

Aim To investigate the influence of irregular shifts on increased emotional, physical, and cognitive exhaustion and decreased working performance expressed by the phenomenon of presenteeism. Methods The study sample of 405 healthcare workers from Family medicine centres completed questionnaires in two measure-ment time points, in 2014 (TP1) and repeated in 2019 (TP2), when 301 respondents remained in the study. Healthcare workers completed questionnaires assessing demographics, work schedules, job burnout, and presenteeism. Results Repeated long-term exposure to rotating day-evening shifts was a significant risk for increased presenteeism (OR=1.689, 95%CI 1.042-2.739; p=0.001) and burnout (OR=1.705, 95%CI 1.237-2.352; p=0.001). Extended working hours are a predictor of presenteeism (OR=1.989, 95%CI 1.042-2.739; p=0.008). Conclusion The adverse effects of rotating day-evening shifts on burnout and presenteeism among healthcare workers in a family medicine centre was little researched, particularly the issue of managing the risks of exposure to rotating day-evening shifts and extended working hours. This study reflects a situation of un-certainty, in which the logic of precaution is imposed on mental health, and keeps working engagements in health care workers. Appropriate management of shift work and better organization of work schedules in the primary healthcare sector protects the well-being of healthcare workers and patients, efficient work, and quality of health care, and invites for future research on better working schedules and introducing preventive interventions with available flexibility of working times.