Abstract
Introduction The relationship between domestic labor and fatigue following night shift work by nurses was examined. Differences due to the age of the youngest child, which apparently influences housework time, were analyzed.
Methods A time survey was conducted with 159 shift work nurses at a public general hospital. Participants were divided into three groups based on the age of the youngest child, i.e., those whose youngest child was in school were placed in the “school age” group, those whose youngest child was preschool age were placed in the “preschool age” group, and nurses without children were placed in the “childless” group. Using four categories of daily living, time use was set as labor hours, physiological hours, house work hours, and social and cultural activity hours, and daily living time was described with reference to seventeen items. A subjective symptoms index (SSI) was applied after both day and night shifts. Comparison of the degree of recovery from physical fatigue and loss of mental concentration were also investigated between the end of day work and the start of night work.
Results Sleeping and napping time was 7 hours and 53 minutes in the “preschool age” group, 8 hours and 18 minutes in the “school age” group, and 9 hours and 11 minutes in the “childless” group. Housework time was 3 hours and 9 minutes in the “preschool age” group, 2 hours and 1 minute in the “school age” group, and 48 minutes in the “childless” group, with the majority of time spent doing cooking and childcare chores. Social and cultural activity time was 36 minutes in the “preschool age” group, 57 minutes in the “school age” group, and 1 hour and 19 minutes in the “childless” group. Fireside time with family was a mere 7 minutes in the “preschool age” group.
The subjective symptoms index (SSI) after night work showed severe fatigue in all groups. All groups showed greater fatigue and loss of concentration at the time of night work than when finishing day work.
Discussion The results showed greater fatigue in the “preschool age” group, which suggests an inverse correlation with sleeping and napping and a positive link to labor in the home. The “preschool age” group had longer housework hours, and shorter sleeping and social and cultural activity hours, which are presumed to influence fatigue.
