Abstract
Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a serious threat to public health and the economy. Several reviews suggested that working long hours has a negative effect on health, especially metabolic disorders.
Objective: To determine whether long working hours increase the incidence of diabetes mellitus in non-sedentary workers.
Methods: A literature search using PubMed, Scopus, and Proquest was conducted based on the clinical question. Selected studies were critically reviewed for their validity using Oxford University’s Center for Evidence-Based Medicine’s etiological study criteria.
Result: Three relevant studies were found. A cohort study found that non-clerical workers and shift workers with long working hours had a significantly higher risk of developing diabetes with a Hazard Ratio (HR) of 2.28 (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.13-4.82). However, the dominant risk factor that may have influenced the outcomes could not be clearly identified. In contrast, a cross-sectional study found no significant association (p>0.05) between working overtime and diabetes prevalence among field workers. Another cross-sectional study showed that blue-collar workers with long working hours had a higher likelihood of prediabetes with an adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) of 1.54 (95% CI 1.15-2.06). However, since this is a cross-sectional study, the causal relationship is uncertain.
Conclusion: Studies regarding the relationship between long working hours and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in non-sedentary workers showed inconsistent and unclear results. Further evaluation is still needed to find more evidence on the health effects of long working hours on workers.
Objective: To determine whether long working hours increase the incidence of diabetes mellitus in non-sedentary workers.
Methods: A literature search using PubMed, Scopus, and Proquest was conducted based on the clinical question. Selected studies were critically reviewed for their validity using Oxford University’s Center for Evidence-Based Medicine’s etiological study criteria.
Result: Three relevant studies were found. A cohort study found that non-clerical workers and shift workers with long working hours had a significantly higher risk of developing diabetes with a Hazard Ratio (HR) of 2.28 (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.13-4.82). However, the dominant risk factor that may have influenced the outcomes could not be clearly identified. In contrast, a cross-sectional study found no significant association (p>0.05) between working overtime and diabetes prevalence among field workers. Another cross-sectional study showed that blue-collar workers with long working hours had a higher likelihood of prediabetes with an adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) of 1.54 (95% CI 1.15-2.06). However, since this is a cross-sectional study, the causal relationship is uncertain.
Conclusion: Studies regarding the relationship between long working hours and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in non-sedentary workers showed inconsistent and unclear results. Further evaluation is still needed to find more evidence on the health effects of long working hours on workers.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 88-94 |
| Journal | The Indonesian Journal of Community and Occupational Medicine |
| Volume | 3 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 23 Dec 2023 |
Keywords
- diabetes mellitus
- long working hours
- non-sedentary workers
