Impact of nursing shift patterns on work-related gastrointestinal disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Abstract
Background: Gastrointestinal diseases are highly prevalent worldwide and are linked to poorer quality of life and increased use of healthcare services. Nursing shift work may disrupt circadian rhythms and contribute to functional gastrointestinal disorders through chronodisruption, sleep impairment, stress, and lifestyle changes. This review aims to analyze the relationship between nursing shift work and the development of gastrointestinal disorders.
Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of different observational studies was conducted to evaluate associations between nurses' work shifts and gastrointestinal disorders. PROSPERO: CRD420251018324. An extensive search of the Databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL) was carried out between April and May 2025 with no date restrictions applied. The studies included compared the frequency of gastrointestinal outcomes among >50% of practicing nurses working fixed day shifts or rotating shifts (including night work). Study quality was assessed using NOS (cohort/case-control) and JBI (cross-sectional). Risk of bias was evaluated with ROBINS-E. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were pooled using fixed or random-effects models depending on heterogeneity.
Results: Seventeen studies (data collection 1998-2023; publication 2003-2024) were included in the review, and 13 were incorporated into the meta-analysis. Most of the studies were cross-sectional and based in hospitals. Rotating shifts were…
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