NCT02775331

Brief Summary

This study aims to investigate whether use of interactive worktime planning tools that support work-time control (possibilities to influence individual shift rosters, i.e., participatory rostering) and guide for health-supporting shift ergonomics will improve health and well-being among shift workers, especially among ageing employees. Effects of the worktime planning tools will be studied in a quasi-experimental design in the Finnish public sector. Health and well-being at baseline (2012-2015), will be compared to follow-up data in 2016-2019 based on questionnaire and pay-roll based objective working hour and sickness absence data among those who a) use an interactive self-rostering software with a shift ergonomics sub-tool, b) whose working hours are designed with a non-interactive shift planning software with the shift ergonomics sub-tool and c) whose working hours are designed with a non-interactive shift planning software without the shift ergonomics sub-tool.

Trial Health

100
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
9,000

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Jan 2016

Longer than P75 for not_applicable

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

January 1, 2016

Completed
4 months until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

April 26, 2016

Completed
21 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

May 17, 2016

Completed
6.8 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

February 28, 2023

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

February 28, 2023

Completed
Last Updated

March 1, 2023

Status Verified

February 1, 2023

Enrollment Period

7.2 years

First QC Date

April 26, 2016

Last Update Submit

February 27, 2023

Conditions

Work StressSleep Disturbance

Keywords

shift schedulingwork-life interactionworking time controlpublic sectorageing

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Sickness absence

    Length (1-365 days/year) of sickness absence and frequency of sickness absence spells (i.e. frequency of all sickness absence periods within 1-365 days/year) obtained from the pay-roll based objective working hour data including dates of absence due to sickness without information on the medical cause of the sickness absence.

    approx. 8 years (from 2012 to 2019)

Secondary Outcomes (8)

  • Changes in objective shift characteristics

    approx. 5 years (from 2015 to 2017/2019)

  • Work-life interaction

    approx. 5 years (from 2015 to 2017/2019

  • Self-rated health

    approx. 5 years (from 2015 to 2017/2019)

  • Perceived work-time control

    approx. 5 years (from 2015 to 2017/2019)

  • Shift-specific insomnia and sleepiness

    approx. 5 years (from 2015 to 2017/2019)

  • +3 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (3)

Units using Titania1 software

EXPERIMENTAL

Employees working in shift planning units (clusters) using an interactive shift planning software (Titania1) with sub-tools for individual shift planning (self-rostering) and an option for shift ergonomics evaluation to both the shift planner and the employees

Other: Shift planning with self-rostering and shift ergonomics

Units using Titania2 software

EXPERIMENTAL

Employees working in shift planning units (clusters) where shift planners use a non-interactive shift planning software (Titania2) providing guidance for health-supporting shift ergonomics.

Other: Shift planning with shift ergonomics

Units using Titania3 software

NO INTERVENTION

Employees working in shift planning units (clusters) where a standard shift planning software (Titania3) without interactive shift rostering or guidance for health-supporting shift ergonomics is used by shift planners.

Interventions

Shift planning with self-rostering and shift ergonomicsOTHER

Employees working in shift planning units (clusters) using an interactive shift planning software (Titania1) with sub-tools for individual shift planning (self-rostering) and an option for shift ergonomics evaluation to both the shift planner and the employees

Units using Titania1 software
Shift planning with shift ergonomicsOTHER

Employees working in shift planning units (clusters) where shift planners use a non-interactive shift planning software (Titania2) providing guidance for health-supporting shift ergonomics.

Units using Titania2 software

Eligibility Criteria

Sexall
Healthy VolunteersYes
Age GroupsChild (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • All hospital workers in the hospital wards (clusters) of six hospital districts in Finland
  • Working hours are planned with Titania software (1-3) starting from 9/2015 for at least one year
  • Employees who have answered a questionnaire sent to all current employees of the organizations in 2015
  • Employees who will answer to similar questionnaire in 2017 and/or 2019.

You may not qualify if:

  • Physicians (due to on-call work not registered in the database)
  • Employees who have less than 120 working days (approx.6 months without leaves) before and after the use of the software

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Related Publications (12)

  • Ala-Mursula L, Vahtera J, Kivimaki M, Kevin MV, Pentti J. Employee control over working times: associations with subjective health and sickness absences. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2002 Apr;56(4):272-8. doi: 10.1136/jech.56.4.272.

    PMID: 11896134BACKGROUND

  • Des Jarlais DC, Lyles C, Crepaz N; TREND Group. Improving the reporting quality of nonrandomized evaluations of behavioral and public health interventions: the TREND statement. Am J Public Health. 2004 Mar;94(3):361-6. doi: 10.2105/ajph.94.3.361.

    PMID: 14998794BACKGROUND

  • Goldberg D, Williams P. 1988. A user´s guide to the General Health Questionnaire. Berkshire: UK. NFER-Nelson.

    BACKGROUND

  • Hansen AM, Nabe-Nielsen K, Albertsen K, Hogh A, Lund H, Hvid H, Garde AH. Self-rostering and psychosocial work factors - a mixed methods intervention study. Appl Ergon. 2015 Mar;47:203-10. doi: 10.1016/j.apergo.2014.10.006. Epub 2014 Oct 22.

    PMID: 25479989BACKGROUND

  • Harma M, Ropponen A, Hakola T, Koskinen A, Vanttola P, Puttonen S, Sallinen M, Salo P, Oksanen T, Pentti J, Vahtera J, Kivimaki M. Developing register-based measures for assessment of working time patterns for epidemiologic studies. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2015 May 1;41(3):268-79. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.3492. Epub 2015 Mar 19.

    PMID: 25788103BACKGROUND

  • Idler EL, Angel RJ. Self-rated health and mortality in the NHANES-I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study. Am J Public Health. 1990 Apr;80(4):446-52. doi: 10.2105/ajph.80.4.446.

    PMID: 2316767BACKGROUND

  • OARS. 1978. Multidimensional functional assessment: The OARS methodology (2nd ed.). Durham, NC: Duke University.

    BACKGROUND

  • Turunen J, Karhula K, Ropponen A, Koskinen A, Hakola T, Puttonen S, Hamalainen K, Pehkonen J, Harma M. The effects of using participatory working time scheduling software on sickness absence: A difference-in-differences study. Int J Nurs Stud. 2020 Dec;112:103716. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2020.103716. Epub 2020 Jul 14.

    PMID: 32736788RESULT

  • Karhula K, Turunen J, Hakola T, Ojajarvi A, Puttonen S, Ropponen A, Kivimaki M, Harma M. The effects of using participatory working time scheduling software on working hour characteristics and wellbeing: A quasi-experimental study of irregular shift work. Int J Nurs Stud. 2020 Dec;112:103696. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2020.103696. Epub 2020 Jun 24.

    PMID: 32800568RESULT

  • Shiri R, Karhula K, Turunen J, Koskinen A, Ropponen A, Ervasti J, Kivimaki M, Harma M. The Effect of Using Participatory Working Time Scheduling Software on Employee Well-Being and Workability: A Cohort Study Analysed as a Pseudo-Experiment. Healthcare (Basel). 2021 Oct 16;9(10):1385. doi: 10.3390/healthcare9101385.

    PMID: 34683065RESULT

  • Karhula K, Hakola T, Koskinen A, Lallukka T, Ojajarvi A, Puttonen S, Oksanen T, Rahkonen O, Ropponen A, Harma M. Ageing shift workers' sleep and working-hour characteristics after implementing ergonomic shift-scheduling rules. J Sleep Res. 2021 Aug;30(4):e13227. doi: 10.1111/jsr.13227. Epub 2020 Nov 9.

    PMID: 33166038RESULT

  • Turunen J, Karhula K, Ropponen A, Koskinen A, Shiri R, Sallinen M, Ervasti J, Pehkonen J, Harma M. The Time-Varying Effect of Participatory Shift Scheduling on Working Hour Characteristics and Sickness Absence: Evidence from a Quasi-Experiment in Hospitals. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Nov 8;19(22):14654. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192214654.

    PMID: 36429372RESULT

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Occupational StressParasomnias

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Occupational DiseasesStress, PsychologicalBehavioral SymptomsBehaviorSleep Wake DisordersNervous System DiseasesMental Disorders

Study Officials

  • Mikko Härmä, MD

    Finnish Institute of Occupational Health

    STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
NON RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
PREVENTION
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

April 26, 2016

First Posted

May 17, 2016

Study Start

January 1, 2016

Primary Completion

February 28, 2023

Study Completion

February 28, 2023

Last Updated

March 1, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-02

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share