Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-12T21:54:39.988Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Psychotropic drug use and shift work among French nurses (1980–1990)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

I. Niedhammer ,
F. Lert  and
M. J. Marne
I. Niedhammer*
Affiliation:
INSERM Unit 88, Hôpital National de Saint-Maurice, France
F. Lert
Affiliation:
INSERM Unit 88, Hôpital National de Saint-Maurice, France
M. J. Marne
Affiliation:
INSERM Unit 88, Hôpital National de Saint-Maurice, France
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr I. Niedhammer, INSERM U88, Hôpital National de Saint-Maurice, 14 avenue du Val d'Osne, F-94410 Saint-Maurice, France.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Synopsis

Use of minor tranquillizers and hypnotics and the association with shift work was examined in a sample of French nurses interviewed in 1980, 1985 and 1990. Permanent night schedule was related to a higher use of hypnotics/tranquillizers, the relation being significant in 1990. At each follow-up date, the use of drugs increased with sleep disorders, symptoms of psychological disorders reported by the nurses themselves, an impaired health and fatigue. Age was linked to the use of hypnotics/tranquillizers; the older the nurses were, the more likely they were to take the drugs. Using a logistic analysis, the following variables were significant: time schedules, self-assessment of health, fatigue, age and marital status. Time schedules involving night work, especially permanent night schedule, were related to a higher proportion of drug use. These findings confirmed the general patterns of psychotropic drug use (age, sleep disorders, physical health and marital status) among women and emphasized the relation between time schedules involving night work and the use of hypnotics/tranquillizers.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 25 , Issue 2 , March 1995 , pp. 329 - 338
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Balter, M. B., Levine, J. & Manheimer, D. I. (1974). Cross-national study of the extent of anti-anxiety/sedative drug use. New England Journal of Medicine 290, 769–774.Google Scholar
Bloch-London, C. & Bué, J. (1992). Les salariés travaillant la nuit. Ministère du Travail, de l'Emploi et de la Formation Professionnelle. Service des Etudes et de la Statistique: Paris.Google Scholar
BMDP Statistical Software Inc. (1990). BMDP Statistical Software Manual, Volume 2. BMDP Statistical Software Inc.: Los Angeles, CA.Google Scholar
Cafferata, G. L., Kasper, J. & Bernstein, A. (1983). Family roles, structure, and stressors in relation to sex differences in obtaining psychotropic drugs. Journal of Health and Social Behavior 24, 132–143.Google Scholar
Cans, C. & Rotily, M. (1991). La consommation de psychotropes en population générale dans le département de l'Isère. Revue d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique 39, 515–522.Google Scholar
Coffey, L. C., Skipper, J. K. & Jung, F. D. (1988). Nurses and shift work: effects on job performance and job-related stress. Journal of Advanced Nursing 13, 245–254.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cooperstock, R. (1978). Sex differences in psychotropic drug use. Social Science and Medicine 12B, 179–186.Google Scholar
Cooperstock, R. & Parnell, P. (1982). Research on psychotropic drug use: a review of findings and methods. Social Science and Medicine 16, 1179–1196.Google Scholar
Cytel Software Corporation (1991). STATXACT Statistical Software for Exact Nonparametric Inference – User Manual. Version 2. Cytel Software Corporation: 137 Erie Street, Cambridge, MA 02139.Google Scholar
Dunbar, G. C., Perera, M. H. & Jenner, F. A. (1989). Patterns of benzodiazepine use in Great Britain as measured by a general population survey. British Journal of Psychiatry 155, 836–841.Google Scholar
Estryn-Behar, M., Kaminski, M., Peigne, E., Bonnet, N., Vaichere, E., Gozlan, C., Azoulay, S. & Giorgi, M. (1990). Stress at work and mental health status among female hospital workers. British Journal of Industrial Medicine 47, 20–28.Google ScholarPubMed
Frese, M. & Harwich, C. (1984). Shiftwork and the length and quality of sleep. Journal of Occupational Medicine 26, 561–566.Google Scholar
Godard, A. & Regnauld, M. H. (1986). Consommation de psychotropes. Revue Française de Santé Publique 33, 5–12.Google Scholar
Gordon, N. P., Cleary, P. D., Parker, C. E. & Czeisler, C. A. (1986). The prevalence and health impact of shiftwork. American Journal of Public Health 76, 1225–1228.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Isacson, D. & Haglund, B. (1988). Psychotropic drug use in a Swedish community – the importance of demographic and socioeconomic factors. Social Science and Medicine 26, 477–483.Google Scholar
Knauth, P., Rutenfranz, J., Schulz, H., Bruder, S., Romberg, H. P., Decoster, F. & Kiesswetter, E. (1980 a). Experimental shift work studies of permanent night, and rapidly rotating, shift systems – II. Behaviour of various characteristics of sleep. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 46, 111–125.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Knauth, P., Landau, K., Dröge, C., Schwitteck, M., Widynski, M. & Rutenfranz, J. (1980 b). Duration of sleep depending on the type of shift work. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 46, 167–177.Google Scholar
Koenig, W., Rüther, E. & Filipiak, B. (1987). Psychotropic drug utilization patterns in a metropolitan population. European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 32, 43–51.Google Scholar
Koller, M., Kundi, M., Haider, M., Cervinka, R. & Friza, H. (1990). Changements survenus en cinq ans dans la vie familiale, la satisfaction et la santé de travailleurs postés. Travail Humain 53, 153–174.Google Scholar
Lecomte, T. (1986). Evolution de la consommation pharmaceutique (1970–1980). Revue Française de Santé Publique 33, 49–55.Google Scholar
Lecomte, T. (1994). Consommation pharmaceutique en 1991. CREDES: Paris.Google Scholar
Lee, K. A. (1989). Sleep-related health problems among female shiftworkers. Sleep Research 18, 369.Google Scholar
Lert, F., Logeay, P., Chastang, J. F. & Luce, D. (1985). Les déterminants de la santé chez les infirmières. Revue d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique 33, 377–386.Google Scholar
Lert, F., Marne, M. J., Auclair, J. & Logeay, P. (1989 a). Evolution de la perception des conditions de travail et des horaires dans une cohorte d'infirmières des hôpitaux publics. Archives des Maladies Professionnelles 50, 759–764.Google Scholar
Lert, F., Logeay, P., Guéguen, A. & Marne, M. J. (1989 b). Devenir professionnel et santé des infirmières des hôpitaux publics. Travail Humain 52, 213–230.Google Scholar
Lert, F., Marne, M. J. & Guéguen, A. (1993). Evolution des conditions de travail des infirmières des hôpitaux publics de 1980 à 1990. Revue d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique 41, 16–29.Google Scholar
Murray, J., Dunn, G., Williams, P. & Tarnopolsky, A. (1981). Factors affecting the consumption of psychotropic drugs. Psychological Medicine 11, 551–560.Google Scholar
Niedhammer, I., Lert, F. & Marne, M. J. (1994). Effects of shiftwork on sleep among French nurses: a longitudinal study. Journal of Occupational Medicine 36, 667–674.Google Scholar
Pakesch, G., Loimer, N., Rasinger, E., Tutsch, G. & Katschnig, H. (1989). The prevalence of psychoactive drug intake in a metropolitan population. Pharmacopsychiatry 22, 61–65.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pariente, P., Lépine, J. P. & Lellouch, J. (1992). Self-reported psychotropic drug use and associated factors in a French community sample. Psychological Medicine 22, 181–190.Google Scholar
Parry, H. J., Balter, M. B. & Cisin, I. H. (1970). Primary levels of underreporting psychotropic drug use. Public Opinion Quarterly 34, 582–592.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Quera-Salva, M. A., Orluc, A., Goldenberg, F. & Guilleminault, C. (1991). Insomnia and use of hypnotics: study of a French sample. Sleep 14, 386–391.Google Scholar
Rahman, A. (1988). Workers' sleep quality as determined by shift system and demographic factors. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 60, 425–429.Google Scholar
Riska, E. & Klaukka, T. (1984). Use of psychotropic drugs in Finland. Social Science and Medicine 19, 983–989.Google Scholar
SAS Institute Inc. (1988). SAS/STAT User's Guide. Release 6.03 Edition. SAS Institute Inc.: Cary, NC.Google Scholar
US Congress, Office of Technology Assessment. (1991). Biological Rhythms: Implications for the Worker. OTA-BA-463. US Government Printing Office, September 1991: Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Vázquez-Barquero, J. L., Diez Manrique, J. F., Pena, C., Arenal Gonzalez, A., Cuesta, M. J. & Artal, J. A. (1989). Patterns of psychotropic drug use in a Spanish rural community. British Journal of Psychiatry 155, 633–641.Google Scholar
Walsh, J. K. (1990). Using pharmacological aids to improve waking function and sleep while working at night. Work and Stress 4, 237–243.Google Scholar