Statistics Canada
www.statcan.gc.ca
Common menu bar links
Health status, preventive behaviour and risk factors among female nurses
Archived Content
Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please "contact us" to request a format other than those available.
by Pamela A. Ratner and Richard Sawatzky
Abstract
Keywords
Findings
Authors
What is already known on this subject?
What does this study add?
Abstract
Background
This study compares the health status, preventive behaviour and risk factors of female nurses with those of other employed postsecondary-educated women.
Data and methods
Cross-sectional data from the 2003 Canadian Community Health Survey were analyzed. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to adjust for potential confounding by demographic and socio-economic characteristics.
Results
When confounding by demographic and socio-economic characteristics was taken into account, nurses were more likely than other employed postsecondary-educated women to report back problems, that most work days were “quite a bit” or “extremely” stressful, and having had flu immunizations and cervical cancer screening. They were less likely to report insufficient consumption of vegetables and fruit or heavy alcohol use.
Interpretation
Canadian nurses’ occupation may account for their higher prevalence of back problems and work stress. At the same time, their occupation may motivate flu immunization, cervical cancer screening, and vegetable and fruit consumption. Some problematic aspects of nurses’ health profile are similar to those of other educated women.
Keywords
health behaviour, health surveys, occupational health, preventive practices, risk factors
Findings
Research on the health of Canadian nurses has revealed a number of areas of concern. Nurses face occupational health hazards that include exposure to infectious diseases, biological hazards and carcinogens; psychological demands; and shift work. A study commissioned by Health Canada’s Office of Nursing Policy found that registered nurses who were employed full-time had an illness- and injury-related absenteeism rate 83% higher than that of other occupational groups. This level of absenteeism raises questions about nurses’ health, the environments in which they work, the work they do and how it is organized, and the cost to the system in lost time—an estimated 19.6 million hours (about 11,000 full-time equivalents) in 2002. [Full text]
Authors
Pamela A. Ratner (604-822-7427; pam.ratner@ubc.ca) is with NEXUS and the School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3. Richard Sawatzky (604-513-2121 ext. 3274; rick.sawatzky@twu.ca) is with the School of Nursing, Trinity Western University, Langley, British Columbia, V2Y 1Y1.
What is already known on this subject?
- Past research has suggested that Canadian nurses’ illness- and injury-related absenteeism rates are considerably higher than those of other occupational groups.
- Nurses have been reported to be at risk for back problems, arthritis, pain and depression.
- Compared with the general population, nurses have been found to be at lower risk of all-cause, cardiovascular-related, and cancer mortality.
-
Much of the research is limited because of underreporting, comparisons with the general public that are influenced by the “healthy worker effect,” and failure to adjust for confounding factors such as age, socio-economic status and place of residence.
What does this study add?
- In some respects, female nurses’ occupation appears to confer some health risks and benefits.
- Nurses are more likely than other employed female postsecondary graduates to report work stress and back pain.
- Nurses are more likely to have had flu shots and pap tests, and are less likely to report excessive alcohol consumption.
- As is true of other employed women, substantial percentages of female nurses are overweight/obese, are physically inactive, consume vegetables and fruit infrequently, and smoke.
