Night Work and the Risk of Cancer Among Men, Essay Example

This research study, Night Work and the Risk of Cancer Among Men, attempts to determine whether a reduced melatonin release experienced by these workers contributes to the risk of disease. To examine this relationship, a population-based case-control study was conducted. Cancer patients were selected as a convenience sample and members of the general public served as the control. Approximately 3000 patients were recruited to the experimental group and approximately 700 controls were recruited. Surveys were issued to determine the exposure of workers to work-related chemicals, to gain an understanding of the nature of their jobs, and to understand the physical labor required at each job. A survey was issued to ascertain whether the recruited individuals were night or day workers.

A statistical analysis was conducted to determine the odds ratio for this relationship. Unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios. It was found that the odds ratio comparing men who worked at night to those who work during the day is 1.76. However, individuals that worked at night were much more likely to get certain types of cancer compared to individuals that worked during the day, including those with bladder cancer (OR = 2.77) and those with rectal cancer (OR = 2.27). For each instance, the 95% confidence interval was calculated.

This study likely involved sample bias because a convenience sample was used. Furthermore, it is possible that there was a reporter bias because the researchers were aware of each patient’s medical history and therefore had an understanding of which study group they belonged to.

Overall, this study contributes to the knowledge and practice in advanced practice nursing because it indicates that certain groups of male workers are at higher risk for certain types of cancer. Therefore, therapy that involves melatonin production could be a reasonable resolution to this problem, and nurses would benefit by applying this knowledge to their practice. Since melatonin is a chemical in the skin that is produced by sunlight, therapy could involve the use of a tanning bed or UV mirror for several minutes a day. While it is also possible to help these individuals adjust their schedules, many nighttime workers have long shifts and are therefore unable to be awake for daylight hours on most days. Therefore, the exact therapy recommended will depend on the needs and abilities of the individual.

References

Parent M, El-Zein M, Rousseau M, Pintos J, Siemiatycki J. (2012). Night Work and the Risk of Cancer Among Men. Am. J. Epidemiol., 176 (9): 751-759.