The researchers cited the breakdown of social relations due to the work environment and a lack of sleep as the reasons for night shift workers’ failure to quit smoking. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — Men who work at night are 3.3 times more likely to fail to quit smoking than daytime workers, a recent study has revealed.
In particular, 9 out of 10 young men in their 20s and 30s who work at night were found to be unable to quit smoking.
A research team at the Catholic University of Korea (CUK) Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital analyzed the responses of 4,927 male workers who have tried to quit smoking more than once in their lives, using data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey from 2007 to 2015.
The researchers divided male workers into two groups – 19 to 40 years old and 41 to 60 years old – and compared the failure rate to quit smoking according to the type of work, and whether respondents worked during the day, evening or at night.
The results showed that the rate of failure to quit smoking among night workers in all age groups was high.
According to the results, and after taking into consideration all external factors, the rate of failure to quit smoking among men who worked at night was 3.3 times higher than those who worked during the day.
The rate of failure to quit smoking among night shift workers aged 19 to 40 was the highest at 90.4 percent.
On the other hand, the rate of failure to quit smoking among middle-aged workers between the ages of 41 and 60 was 45.6 percent, the lowest across age and type of work.
Even among middle-aged men, 73.2 percent failed to quit smoking at night, the highest rate in the same age group.
The researchers cited the breakdown of social relations due to the work environment and a lack of sleep as the reasons for night shift workers’ failure to quit smoking.
“Night shift workers are often exposed to conditions that make it harder to quit smoking than daytime workers,” said CUK Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital professor Kim Hyung-ryul, who organized the study.
“It is presumed that one of the reasons is that social relations – such as relations between family and friends – are severed and the lack of emotional support needed to quit smoking.”
He also added that those who work the night shift might lack quality sleep as they typically have to sleep during the day. A lack of sleep is known to disrupt the body’s biorhythm and increase dependence on addiction.
The results of the study were published in the Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology on August 5.
D. M. Park (dmpark@koreabizwire.com)
