Salivary Biomarkers and Work-Related Stress in Night Shift Workers

Giusi Briguglio, Michele Teodoro, Sebastiano Italia, Francesca Verduci, Manuela Pollicino, Manuela Coco, Annalisa De Vita, Elvira Micali, Angela Alibrandi, Giuseppe Lembo, Chiara Costa and Concettina Fenga
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Giusi Briguglio: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, Occupational Medicine Section, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy
Michele Teodoro: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, Occupational Medicine Section, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy
Sebastiano Italia: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, Occupational Medicine Section, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy
Francesca Verduci: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, Occupational Medicine Section, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy
Manuela Pollicino: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, Occupational Medicine Section, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy
Manuela Coco: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, Occupational Medicine Section, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy
Annalisa De Vita: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, Occupational Medicine Section, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy
Elvira Micali: Medical Management Staff Unit, University Hospital “Policlinico G. Martino”, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy
Angela Alibrandi: Department of Economics, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy
Giuseppe Lembo: Port System Authority of the Strait of Messina, 98100 Messina, Italy
Chiara Costa: Clinical and Experimental Medicine Department, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy
Concettina Fenga: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, Occupational Medicine Section, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 6, 1-12

Abstract: Work organization, such as shifts and night work, can interfere with the perception of work-related stress and therefore on the development of pathological conditions. Night shift work, particularly, can have a negative impact on workers’ wellbeing by interfering with the biological sphere. The aim of this study is to evaluate the associations between work activities, shift work effects and stress-related responses in 106 dock workers enrolled in southeast Italy. Dock workers’ tasks consist of complex activities that seemed to affect more sleep quality than work-related stress. An analysis of salivary biomarkers such as cortisol, ?-amylase, melatonin and lysozyme was performed along with validated psycho-diagnostic questionnaires. Alpha-amylase showed a significant negative correlation with the effort/reward imbalance score; thus, the measurement of salivary ?-amylase is proposed as a sensitive and non-invasive biomarker of work-related stress. This study may provide new insights into developing strategies for the management of night shift work. Salivary biomarkers should be further investigated in the future in order to develop simple and effective tools for the early diagnosis of work-related stress or its outcomes.

Keywords: shift workers; salivary biomarkers; cortisol; ?-amylase; occupational health; work-related stress (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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