Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31055776›Full record

SynthesisInternational archives of occupational and environmental health2019

Shift work and mental health: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Yixuan Zhao, Alice Richardson, Carmel Poyser, Peter Butterworth, Lyndall Strazdins, Liana S Leach

Registry-linked trialAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis 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. It is linked to trial NCT07455981 (Assessment of the Interaction Between Atypical Working Hours and/or Periods of Inactivity on Risky Gambling Practices Among Adults Working Under These Conditions.), which is not on this map. Cited by 52 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
52citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
–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.

NCT07455981 not yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Assessment of the Interaction Between Atypical Working Hours and/or Periods of Inactivity on Risky Gambling Practices Among Adults Working Under These Conditions.

TypeobservationalSponsorCentre Hospitalier Universitaire de NīmesRan2026 to 2026Enrolled1,600ConditionsProblem Gambling, Addiction GamblingArmsCompletion of an online survey lasting approximately 25 minutes
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

52 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  7. Trial
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  10. Observational
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  13. Health-Framed Messaging and Its Impact on Attitudes Toward Daylight Saving Time.medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences · 2025
    Article
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  15. HowMedicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2025
    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

6 authors.

Yixuan ZhaoNational Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH), Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, Australia. Yixuan.Zhao@anu.edu.au.ORCID 0000-0003-0028-0850
Alice RichardsonNational Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH), Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, Australia.
Carmel PoyserNational Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH), Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, Australia.
Peter ButterworthNational Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH), Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, Australia.
Lyndall StrazdinsNational Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH), Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, Australia.
Liana S LeachNational Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH), Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, Australia.

Funding

Australian Research Council FT13101444
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundShift work is common. However, research findings are mixed regarding the impact of shift work on mental health. This systematic review sought to provide a comprehensive summary of existing research examining the association between different types of shift work and mental health. The review included large-scale, non-occupation-specific research.

methodsFour electronic databases PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science and SCOPUS were searched to identify studies that reported on the statistical association between shift work and mental health and that used population-based samples. Two reviewers extracted information about study characteristics and data on the association between shift work and mental health. A meta-analysis was performed for longitudinal studies adopting a 'broad binary' measure of shift work.

resultsThirty-three studies were included in the final review-10 cross-sectional studies, 22 longitudinal studies, and 1 study that included both. Findings were grouped based on whether the measure of shift work focussed on: (1) night/evening work, (2) weekend work, (3) irregular/unpredictable work schedule, or (4) a broad binary measure. There was a reasonable level of evidence that overall, when a broad binary measure was adopted, shift work was associated with poorer mental health-this finding was supported by the meta-analysis results. There was also some evidence that irregular/unpredictable work was associated with poorer mental health. There was less evidence for night/evening and minimal evidence for weekend work. Inconsistencies in study methodology, limited contrasting and combining the results.

conclusionsThe association between shift work and mental health is different across types of shift work. The evidence is strongest for a broad binary, general measure of shift work and for irregular or unpredictable shift work. There is a need for continued research that adopts consistent and clear measures of shift work.

Indexed as

HumansMental DisordersMental HealthOccupational HealthWork Schedule ToleranceMental healthMeta-analysisNon-standard schedulesPsychological distressShift workSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID31055776

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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.