Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

MilitaryLatest NewsHealth and safetyOccupational HealthWellbeing

Danish study links cancer risk to night shifts

by Personnel Today 3 Jul 2012
by Personnel Today 3 Jul 2012

Frequent night shifts can be linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, research has argued.

A study of women in the Danish military, published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine in May 2012, has concluded that working night shifts more than twice a week is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.

The risk, the research said, also seems to be cumulative and strongest among those who describe themselves as “morning” people or “larks”, rather than “evening” people or “owls”.

The research highlighted that between 10% and 20% of the work­force in both Europe and the US works night shifts.

In 2007 the International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded that shift work, which disrupted the body clock (circadian rhythms), was “probably carcinogenic”, but called for more research.

This latest study covered more than 18,500 women working for the Danish army between 1964 and 1999, all of whom had been born between 1929 and 1968.

From the 692 responses – of which 141 were from women with breast cancer – it was calculated that, overall, night-shift work was associated with a 40% increased risk of breast cancer compared with those who did not work night shifts.

However, women who worked night shifts at least three times a week, and for at least six years, were more than twice as likely to have the disease as those who had not, the survey found.

Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary, said: “We need urgent advice from the Health and Safety Executive and the Government so that employers can reduce the risk of female workers developing breast cancer – for example, by identifying safer shift patterns.”

Avatar
Personnel Today

previous post
HR Moves: Raglan Housing, BAA, Qinetiq
next post
Survey highlights need for more help with back pain

You may also like

Sue Gray findings: Party culture during lockdowns approved...

25 May 2022

Employers lack data to make IR35 worker status...

25 May 2022

Biggest national rail strike threatens summer

25 May 2022

Six in 10 women of colour ‘hide identity’...

25 May 2022

Maternity leave: Cost of living crisis highlights need...

25 May 2022

Civil servants move closer to national strike action

25 May 2022

Top 10 metrics HR leaders are using today...

25 May 2022

Employees resigning in 2022: Survey shows ‘great resignation’...

24 May 2022

Tube strike on 6 June to see 4,000...

24 May 2022

Navigating the widening “Skills Confidence Gap” in 2022,...

24 May 2022

  • The importance of being an ethical leader and how to become one PROMOTED | What is ethical leadership?...Read more
  • RPO Report: 2022, The Year to Outsource PROMOTED | Employers should be overwhelmed with choice...Read more
  • Report: Enabling organisational agility through talent & people success PROMOTED | Work has been challenged...Read more
  • Employee Trends 2022 report PROMOTED | Edenred research on employees analysed the key employees’ trends for 2022...Read more
  • How finance apprenticeships can boost business PROMOTED | As the world’s most forward-thinking professional accountancy body...Read more
  • Paul Devoy: Showing appreciation to the Investors in People community PROMOTED | Ask most people what comes to mind when you mention Investors in People...Read more
  • White paper: How digitalisation can support evolving occupational health PROMOTED | Download this free white paper to discover how digitalisation can help occupational health meet emerging challenges...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today