Shift workers more prone to attention deficit, impulsivity: study

Konya, Turkey – Shift workers have more attention deficit and impulsivity than daytime workers, according to a new study from researchers from a variety of Turkish hospitals and universities.

Seventy-nine day shift nurses and 127 night shift nurses from a single hospital filled out three questionnaires to measure impulsivity, inattentiveness, and whether they were a “morning person” or “evening person.”

Workers who scored as “evening-types” also scored higher on the attention deficit and impulsivity tests. Evaluating workers’ “chronotypes,” which reflect the times of day workers are most alert, can help determine who is suitable for shift work, the researchers stated.

The study was published in the January/February issue of Biological Rhythm Research.