"Night Shift Workers Show High Dependence on Alcohol and Tobacco"

Seung-Yeon Lee's Research Team at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital
"Social Attention Needed for Night Workers' Health"

Professor Seung-Yeon Lee, Department of Family Medicine, International Medical Center, Bundang Seoul National University Hospital.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] A study has found that workers who have continuously performed night shift work are 11-18% more likely to develop worse drinking and smoking habits compared to those with fixed daytime shifts.

The research team led by Professor Lee Seung-yeon of the Department of Family Medicine at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital's International Medical Center analyzed data from 4,046 individuals using the Korea Labor Panel Survey data from 2005 to 2019, revealing these results on the 23rd.

The study subjects consisted of a total of 4,046 people, including 422 shift workers and 3,624 fixed-shift workers. The team classified them into four groups: ▲continuous fixed daytime workers ▲workers who switched from fixed daytime shifts to night shift work ▲workers who switched from night shift work to fixed daytime shifts ▲continuous night shift workers, and investigated changes in their drinking and smoking habits.

As a result, workers who switched from fixed daytime shifts to night shift work had an 18% higher risk of worsening drinking and smoking habits, while those who continuously worked night shifts had an 11% higher risk. Worsening drinking and smoking habits were defined as changes from non-smoking and non-drinking to smoking and drinking three or more times per week.

Drinking and smoking are recognized as major risk factors for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Professor Lee Seung-yeon, who led the study, stated, “As the number of shift workers, including night shifts, increases to maintain a 24-hour society that never sleeps, medical and social attention to individuals' lifestyle habits, including smoking and drinking, is necessary to prevent diseases that threaten workers' health.”

Meanwhile, the results of this study were published in the latest issue of the Journal of Clinical Medicine.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.