@article {Smith174, author = {AM Smith and P Morris and KO Rowell and S Clarke and TH Jones and KS Channer}, title = {Junior doctors and the full shift rota {\textendash} psychological and hormonal changes: a comparative cross-sectional study}, volume = {6}, number = {2}, pages = {174--177}, year = {2006}, doi = {10.7861/clinmedicine.6-2-174}, publisher = {Royal College of Physicians}, abstract = {We studied the hormonal and psychological effect of the full shift rota on junior doctors after implementation of the European Working Time Directive, using a comparative, cross-sectional study design of male doctors in South Yorkshire. Cortisol and testosterone levels were measured and subjects completed the general health questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the androgen deficiency in the aging male screening questionnaire (ADAM), after a week of holiday (baseline), a week of nights, and a normal working week. The results showed that cortisol levels decreased from 480.6{\textpm}33.1 nmol/l at baseline (after a week of holiday), to 355.7{\textpm}29.1 nmol/l post normal working week (p=0.003); to 396.7{\textpm}32.5 nmol/l post nights (p=0.03). GHQ-12 scores increased from 0.5{\textpm}0.3 at baseline, to 1.8{\textpm}0.5 post normal working week (p=0.02) and to 2.3{\textpm}0.5 post nights (p=0.005). These results suggest that there are still appreciable physiological consequences with new work patterns.}, issn = {1470-2118}, URL = {https://www.rcpjournals.org/content/6/2/174}, eprint = {https://www.rcpjournals.org/content/6/2/174.full.pdf}, journal = {Clinical Medicine} }