Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30406330›Full record

ArticleInternational archives of occupational and environmental health2019

Long working hours are inversely related to sick leave in the following 3 months: a 4-year registry study.

Øystein Vedaa, Ståle Pallesen, Eilin K Erevik, Erling Svensen, Siri Waage, Bjørn Bjorvatn, Børge Sivertsen, Anette Harris

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in International archives of occupational and environmental health, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. The compressed workweek in public health and social care - is it sustainable?Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health · 2026
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  3. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Øystein VedaaDepartment of Mental Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, PO Box 8905, MTFS, 7491, Trondheim, Norway. oystein.vedaa@ntnu.no.
Ståle PallesenDepartment of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Christiesgt 12, 5015, Bergen, Norway.
Eilin K ErevikDepartment of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Christiesgt 12, 5015, Bergen, Norway.
Erling SvensenHaukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 65, 5021, Bergen, Norway.
Siri WaageNorwegian Competence Center for Sleep Disorders, Haukeland University Hospital, Jonas Lies vei 65, 5021, Bergen, Norway.
Bjørn BjorvatnNorwegian Competence Center for Sleep Disorders, Haukeland University Hospital, Jonas Lies vei 65, 5021, Bergen, Norway.
Børge SivertsenDepartment of Mental Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, PO Box 8905, MTFS, 7491, Trondheim, Norway.
Anette HarrisDepartment of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Christiesgt 12, 5015, Bergen, Norway.

Funding

Nordic Program on Health and Welfare 74809
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe aim of this study was to investigate the effects of long working hours (≥ 12 h shifts) on sick leave using objective records of shift work exposure and of sick leave.

methodsA total of 1538 nurses (mean age 42.5, SD 12.0; response rate 42%) participated. Payroll and archival sick leave data over a 4-year period were retrieved from employers' records and aggregated over every third calendar month. A multilevel negative binomial model was used to investigate the effects of exposure to long working hours, on subsequent sick leave rates the following 3 months. Covariates included prior sick leave, number of shifts worked, night and evening shifts, personality, and demographic characteristics.

resultsExposure to long working hours was associated with fewer sick leave days in the subsequent 3 months [adjusted model, incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 0.946, 95% CI 0.919-0.973, p < 0.001]. The interaction long working hours by a number of work days showed that sick leave days the subsequent 3 months was higher by long shifts when number of shifts was high compared to when number of shifts was low [adjusted model, IRR 1.002, 95% CI 1.000-1.004, p < 0.05]. DISCUSSION: Long working hours was associated with fewer sick leave days. The restorative effects of extra days off with long working hours are discussed as possible explanations to this relationship.

Indexed as

Work Schedule ToleranceAdultFemaleHospitals, UniversityHumansMaleMiddle AgedNorwayNursesNursing AssistantsPersonalityShift Work ScheduleSick LeaveSurveys and QuestionnairesExtended daily working hoursLong shiftsLong working hoursSick leaveSickness absence

Identifiers

PMID30406330

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.