Press release
2/2012
10.01.2012,
Helsinki
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Finnair and Finnish Institute of Occupational Health
Occupational health services (OHS) play a central role in promoting the health and maintaining the work ability of the working-age population. Finnair's OHS decided to investigate and control the risk factors of shift work, and launched new health examinations as part of a research project. The new examinations focused on the health risks related to shift work, especially Type 2 diabetes.
The project, carried out as part of normal occupational health services, produced concrete tools and permanent practices in Finnair's OHS. The extended health examination demanded only few extra resources, as the well-structured operations model clarified examination practices, and decreased the need for other procedures.
Shift work makes it difficult to follow regular lifestyle habits, causes sleep problems, and increases the risk of illness. At Finnair, only about a third of employees work regular office hours. "Studies showed that forward rotating shift systems, for instance, can decrease sleep problems, and that lifestyle counselling given by OHS can achieve positive results," says Occupational Health Physician and Aviation Physician Katriina Viitasalo, leader of the project.
Men clearly faced more diabetes and arterial disease risk factors than women. Finnair's empolyees were nevertheless farily healthy in comparison with the national average. The lifestyles and health of the aviation staff were clearly better than those of the rest of the personnel. Of total personnel, 30% were estimated to have the need to change their lifestyle in order to avoid diabetes.
The risk factors that emerged in the health examinations were discussed with the participant. In addition, those with an elevated risk of Type 2 diabetes were offered lifestyle counselling, to which they reacted very positively. However, group sessions turned out to be difficult to arrange for shiftworkers, and a new way of carrying out counselling should be found.
Those at a great risk of diabetes benefited from the new health examinations and lifestyle counselling. They reached the target of a 5% weight loss more often than the others during the two- to three-year follow-up. Changes in cholesterol levels were also more positive among those who participated in the counselling.
A total of 2 312 employees attended the inital health examination, of which 367 took part in lifestyle counselling, and 1 485 participated in the follow-up. The research project was carried out in collaboration between Finnair Health Services, the researchers of the Diabetes Prevention Unit of the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), and the shift work researchers of the Centre of Expertise for Human Factors at Work of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. The research project was funded by The Finnish Work Environment Fund, the Academy of Finland's 'Responding to Public Health Challenges' (SALVE) research programme, the Ilmarinen Mutual Pension Insurance Company, and the Finnair Sickness Fund.
Source:
Katriina Viitasalo, Katri Hemiö, Mikko Härmä, Jaana Lindström, Markku Peltonen, Sampsa Puttonen and Anja Koho. Työterveyshuolto ehkäisee vuorotyön ja elintapojen terveysriskejä. Tyypin 2 diabeteksen seulonta ja ehkäisy ilmailualan työterveyshuollossa. THL:n Raportti 66/2011.
Further information:
Katriina Viitasalo, Specialist in Internal Medicine and Occupational Medicine, Aviation Physician, MD, AME1, Finnair Health Services, Tel. +358 40 5519228, katriina.viitasalo(at)finnair.fi
Jaana Lindström, Specialized Research Scientist, PhD, National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Tel. +358 40 588 8892, jaana.lindstrom(at)thl.fi
Sampsa Puttonen, Senior Research Scientist, PhD (Psych.), Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Tel. +358 43 8246254, sampsa.puttonen(at)ttl.fi
Modified 10.01.2012 Vauhkonen Tuula