Razi Journal of Medical Sciences

  Background : According to the previous studies, 25 percent of the total workforce is faced with the shift working. Sleep disorders are the most common health complaint of the shift workers. This study was designed to examine the sleep status of workers in a printing factory. We aimed to investigate the association between prevalence of sleep disorders with shift working and other probable factors.

  Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among workers of a printing factory in Tehran, 2010. Required information was gathered through a questionnaire consisting of three parts : Demographic data, ESS questionnaire (Epworth Sleepiness Scale) and SMII questionnaire (Sleep Med Insomnia Index). Collected data from 385 questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS software version 16. P values <0 . 05 were considered significant statistically.

  Results: According to the results of the analysis, shift working, drug consumption and smoking were significantly associated with the prevalence of sleep disorders (especially with prevalence of insomnia). Logistic regression analysis was also performed for insomnia. The Odds Ratio for shift working and drug consumption were 2 . 3 and 3 . 2, respectively.

  Conclusion: Based on this study, shift working could be considered as an important risk factor of sleep disorders. However, further studies are needed to confirm this theory and to plan for reducing such disorders among shift workers.