Healthy lifestyle peculiarities in shift vs non-shift workers in Lithuania

Abstract

The aim of the study is to explore healthy lifestyle peculiarities of shift workers as compared to non-shift workers. The study included 150'shift and non-shift workers (66'men and 84'women, aged 22 through 55) in di-erent workplaces in manufacture and service- sectors. Workers’ healthy lifestyle peculiarities were examined using the 5-factor Wellness Questionnaire – 5F-WEL (developed by J.'Myers and Th.'Sweeney in 2005; Lithuanian translation by A.'Pranckeviciene, L.'Gustainiene, 2006) in relation to socio-demographic aspects, such as education level, working hours, age, income, marital status. The model Wellness is a holistic model including physical, mental and social aspects of health, namely, Social Self, Coping Self, Physical Self, Essential Self and Creative Self. The results showed that healthy lifestyle peculiarities of shift workers di-ered from nonshift workers in both men and women groups. Female non-shift workers had higher scores on general Wellness scale and on the Essential Self as compared to female shift workers. Interestingly, male shift workers scored more on the Creative Self and less on the Social Self subscales, compared to non-shift workers. Younger (under 37'years of age) non-shift workers had higher scores on the Social Self, Essential Self and Coping Self, as well as on the general Wellness scale, compared to younger shift workers. No signi,cant changes were observed in a group of shift and non-shift workers aged 38+. Married non-shift workers had higher scores on the Essential Self, compared to married shift workers. This study reveals di-erences in pursuing a heal-related lifestyle among di-erent sociodemographic groups of shift and non-shift workers, and stresses the need of further investigations in this area.