Work hours as a risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infections: cardiometabolic and sleep characteristics in rotating shift workers

ABSTRACT Objective: This study aims to describe the health characteristics of rotating shift mining workers that may be related to a worse course scenario for COVID-19, according to literature data. Methods: Is a cross-sectional from three studies with 1478 shift workers. Social, demographic, clinical, and biochemical variables were analyzed. Risk factors for COVID-19 analyzed: hyperglycemia, altered blood pressure, dyslipidemia, hypovitaminosis D, obesity, presence of pre-existing cardiovascular diseases, and smokers. Results: Evaluating the grouped risk factors for an unfavorable evolution of COVID-19 most workers (91.0%) presented at least one risk factor. Discussion: With coronavirus in pandemic circulation, we noticed that mineworkers are in a vulnerable position. Their exposure to occupational risk factors, to the shift system, which directly affects sleep and negatively influences immunity, added to the conditions of favorable transmissibility by the flow of people from the mines leads us to believe in their greater susceptibility to acquiring the most serious forms of the disease.