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"A hard day’s night?" The effects of Compressed Working Week interventions on the health and work-life balance of shift workers: a systematic review

Bambra, C.; Whitehead, M.; Sowden, A.; Akers, J.; Petticrew, M.

"A hard day’s night?" The effects of Compressed Working Week interventions on the health and work-life balance of shift workers: a systematic review Thumbnail


Authors

C. Bambra

M. Whitehead

A. Sowden

J. Akers

M. Petticrew



Abstract

Objective: To systematically review studies of the effects of the Compressed Working Week on the health and work-life balance of shift workers, and to identify any differential impacts by socio-economic group. Methods: Systematic review. Following QUORUM guidelines, published or unpublished experimental and quasi-experimental studies were identified. Data were sourced from 27 electronic databases, websites, bibliographies, and expert contacts. Results: Forty observational studies were found. The majority of studies only measured self-reported outcomes and the methodological quality of the included studies was not very high. Interventions did not always improve the health of shift workers, but in the five prospective studies with a control group, there were no detrimental effects on self-reported health. However, work-life balance was generally improved. No studies reported differential impacts by socio-economic group; however, most of the studies were conducted on homogeneous populations. Conclusion: This review suggests that the Compressed Working Week can improve work-life balance, and that it may do so with a low risk of adverse health or organisational effects. However, better designed studies that measure objective health outcomes are needed.

Citation

Bambra, C., Whitehead, M., Sowden, A., Akers, J., & Petticrew, M. (2008). "A hard day’s night?" The effects of Compressed Working Week interventions on the health and work-life balance of shift workers: a systematic review. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 62(9), 764-777. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.2007.067249

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Sep 1, 2008
Deposit Date Jan 9, 2009
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
Print ISSN 0143-005X
Electronic ISSN 1470-2738
Publisher BMJ Publishing Group
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 62
Issue 9
Pages 764-777
DOI https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.2007.067249

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