PT Journal AU Ljoså, CH Tyssen, R Lau, B TI Mental distress among shift workers in Norwegian offshore petroleum industry – relative influence of individual and psychosocial work factors SO Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health PD 11VL PY 2011 BP 551 EP 555 IS 6 DI 10.5271/sjweh.3191 WP https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3191 DE individual work factor; mental disorder; mental distress; mental health; neuroticism; night work; Norway; petroleum industry; psychosocial work factor; shift work; shift work locus of control; shift work–home interference SN 0355-3140 AB '

'

OBJECTIVE ': 'This study aimed to investigate the association between individual and psychosocial work factors and mental distress among offshore shift workers in the Norwegian petroleum industry.

'

'

METHODS ': 'All 2406 employees of a large Norwegian oil and gas company, who worked offshore during a two-week period in August 2006, were invited to participate in the web-based survey. Completed questionnaires were received from 1336 employees (56% response rate). The outcome variable was mental distress, assessed with a shortened version of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-5). The following individual factors were adjusted for: age, gender, marital status, and shift work locus of control. Psychosocial work factors included: night work, demands, control and support, and shift work–home interference.

'

'

RESULTS ': 'The level of mental distress was higher among men than women. In the adjusted regression model, the following were associated with mental distress: (i) high scores on quantitative demands, (ii) low level of support, and (iii) high level of shift work–home interference. Psychosocial work factors explained 76% of the total explained variance (adjusted R²=0.21) in the final adjusted model.

'

'

CONCLUSIONS ': 'Psychosocial work factors, such as quantitative demands, support, and shift work–home interference were independently associated with mental distress. Shift schedules were only univariately associated with mental distress.

ER