Multimorbidity and its Associated Factors in Korean Shift Workers: Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Multimorbidity is a crucial factor that influences premature death rates, poor health, and healthcare utilization. Approximately one-fifth of the global workforce is involved in shift work which is associated with increased risk for several chronic diseases and multimorbidity.Objective: This study aimed to identify multimorbidity patterns and examine the factors associated with multimorbidity among shift workers in Korea.Methods: Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES) from 2016 to 2020 were utilized. The study included n = 1,704 (Weighted N = 2,697,228) Korean shift workers aged 19 and older. Multimorbidity patterns were identified by network analysis, and a survey-corrected logistic regression analysis was performed to identify influencing factors of multimorbidity among the workers. Results:The overall prevalence of multimorbidity was 13.7%. Network analysis results revealed that chronic diseases clustered into three groups: 1) cardiometabolic multimorbidity 2) musculoskeletal multimorbidity, and 3) an unclassified disease group. Logistic regression indicated that age, income, regular work, and obesity were significant factors influencing multimorbidity. Conclusions:The findings revealed that several socioeconomic and behavioral factors were associated with multimorbidity among shift workers indicating the need for policy development related to work schedule modification. Further organizationlevel screening and intervention programs are needed to prevent and manage multimorbidity among shift workers.