SynthesisBMC public health2026
Shift work and risk of sleep disturbances in occupational populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Biomarker evidence for the pathophysiological mechanisms of insomnia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Pooled it
- Occupational and psychosocial correlates of sleep disturbance among Chinese expatriate employees in Iraq's Maysan oilfields: a cross-sectional study using regression and network analysis.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundShift work is common worldwide and disrupts circadian rhythms, which is associated with sleep disturbances. Previous studies have often focused on single occupations or countries, limiting the generalizability of findings. A comprehensive synthesis of the association between shift work and sleep disturbances across diverse populations is lacking.
methodsWe conducted a systematic search of major electronic databases up to August 15, 2025, for observational studies examining the association between shift work and sleep disturbances, using odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Study quality was assessed using appropriate tools, and evidence certainty was evaluated with the GRADE framework. Heterogeneity was assessed, and pooled ORs were calculated using fixed- or random-effects models based on the level of heterogeneity. Subgroup analyses were performed by sleep disturbance type, shift type, night-shift duration, occupation, country, region, diagnostic method, and adjustment status. Publication bias was also assessed.
resultsTwenty-two cross-sectional studies involving 21,677 participants from eight countries contributed 24 estimates. Shift work was associated with higher odds of sleep disturbances (OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.24-1.62), with comparable estimates observed after covariate adjustment (OR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.18-1.68). Rotating shift (OR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.23-1.77) and night shift of ≤ 8 hours (OR = 1.77, 95% CI: 1.11-2.81) were associated with higher odds of sleep disturbances. Among occupational groups, healthcare professionals showed higher odds (OR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.21-2.01). Associations were observed across different types of sleep disturbances, with variation by geographic region and assessment method. Sensitivity analyses indicated the robustness of the estimates.
conclusionsShift work, particularly rotating schedules and short night shifts, is robustly and consistently associated with sleep disturbances, with healthcare professionals showing comparatively higher odds. These findings underscore the need for evidence-based occupational health policies and workplace interventions designed to stabilize circadian rhythms and mitigate sleep-related risks in vulnerable populations.
trial registrationPROSPERO CRD420261285200.
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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.