TY - JOUR T1 - Effects of the implementation of an 84-hour workweek on neurobehavioral test performance and cortisol responsiveness during testing JO - Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health PY - 2003/8VL - 29 IS - 4 SP - 261 EP - 269 AU - Persson, Roger AU - Ørbæk, Palle AU - Ursin, Holger AU - Kecklund, Göran AU - Österberg, Kai AU - Åkerstedt, Torbjörn M3 - doi: 10.5271/sjweh.730 UR - https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=730 KW - 84-hour workweek KW - cognitive performance KW - cortisol responsiveness KW - long workhours KW - neurobehavioral test performance KW - shift work N2 - '

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OBJECTIVES ': 'This study examined whether long workhours in combination with an extended workweek (12 hours/7 days), as requested by the workers, impaired attention and cognitive performance and whether the degree of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) activation was related to in response to the performance tasks.

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METHODS ': 'A group of 41 male construction workers between 21 and 60 (mean 39) years of age who worked 84 hours a week, with alternate weeks off, was compared with a group of 23 male construction workers between 24 and 65 (mean 43) years of age who had a traditional 40-hour work schedule. Neurobehavioral test performance, self-ratings of fatigue and sleepiness, and salivary cortisol levels were evaluated in a counterbalanced repeated- measures design.

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RESULTS ': 'The 84-hour group did not show any signs of reduced test performance or elevated fatigue and sleepiness. The 84-hour group had faster reaction times on day 7 than on days 1 and 5. Although the expected activation of the HPA axis was only found in the total study sample when workdays 1 and 5 were collapsed, the HPA activation can be considered normal.

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CONCLUSIONS ': 'The results suggest that an 84-hour work regimen in response to requests from workers does not induce more performance deficits than an ordinary 40-hour workweek. An extended work schedule of 84 hours cannot in the short-term be considered to affect basic mental capabilities negatively.

SN - 0355-3140 ER -