RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Junior doctors and the full shift rota – psychological and hormonal changes: a comparative cross-sectional study
JF Clinical Medicine
JO Clin Med
FD Royal College of Physicians
SP 174
OP 177
DO 10.7861/clinmedicine.6-2-174
VO 6
IS 2
A1 AM Smith
A1 P Morris
A1 KO Rowell
A1 S Clarke
A1 TH Jones
A1 KS Channer
YR 2006
UL http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/6/2/174.abstract
AB 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±33.1 nmol/l at baseline (after a week of holiday), to 355.7±29.1 nmol/l post normal working week (p=0.003); to 396.7±32.5 nmol/l post nights (p=0.03). GHQ-12 scores increased from 0.5±0.3 at baseline, to 1.8±0.5 post normal working week (p=0.02) and to 2.3±0.5 post nights (p=0.005). These results suggest that there are still appreciable physiological consequences with new work patterns.