Gastrointestinal complaints in shift-working and day-working nurses in Iran

The study involved 160 nurses (133 working in shifts and at night and 27 working on day shifts) in the Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Kashan, Iran. These nurses answered a Gastrointestinal Symptom Questionnaire regarding the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms (including heartburn, regurgitation, constipation, diarrhea and bloating). Positive responses required frequent symptom occurrence in the past 4 weeks. Significance of group differences was assessed by chi-square and Fisher-exact tests.Prevalence of GI symptoms was significantly higher (p = 0.009) in rotating-shift nurses (81.9%) than in day-shift nurses (59.2%). Irregular meal consumption (p = 0.01) and GI medications (p = 0.002) were all significantly higher among the rotating shift nurses. In both groups, regurgitation was the most common symptom.Nurses on rotating shifts in Iran experience more GI disturbances than do nurses on day shifts.There is increasing evidence that circadian rhythm disturbance can cause a variety of health disorders [1,2]. Nurses, because of their profession, have to perform their important and difficult tasks at any time in the 24 hours of the day. Erratic working shifts can cause decreased proficiency, somatic and psychological disorders and increase in nursing and medical error [3,4].Previous studies have addressed a variety of maladies associated with shift work, including gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms [5,6]. For example, a study showed that working in different shifts can harm the GI normal movements and cause disorders in excreting digestive enzymes and acid-alkaline balance [7]. These alterations may be caused by sleep disorders, as they have a negative correlation with last night's sleep quality in these subjects [8]. Furthermore, in an investigation designed by German researchers, peptic ulcer incidence was higher in shift-workers and night-workers [9]. In a study in Japan, conducted by endoscopy, peptic ulcer prevalence was higher in shift-workers (2.38%) than in day-worke