The association between night shift work and elevated risk of smoking use among ride-hailing drivers: findings from a cross-sectional study.

Authors

Tenglong Yan, Jianjian Su, Binshuo Hu, Xin Song, Zhihui Wang, Siyuan Wang, Meili Gao, Hong Yu, Dongsheng Niu, Xiaoshun Wang, Rui Guan, Xiaowen Ding

Published in

Frontiers in public health. Volume 14. Pages 1739252. Epub Jul 09, 2026.

Abstract

Night shift work is linked to smoking in traditional occupations, while the association with substance use among ride-hailing drivers is unknown. This study examined the associations of night shift work with tobacco and alcohol use behaviors among ride-hailing drivers in China, a vulnerable and understudied occupational group.
A cross-sectional study for ride-hailing drivers in Beijing, China (PWS study), was conducted and assessed night shift, smoking and drinking habits via structured questionnaires. Heavy smokers and high intensity drinking workers were further identified based on established standards. Multivariable logistic regression models were performed and adjusted for sociodemographic and occupational covariates (sex, age, income, etc.) to evaluate the associations of night shift work with tobacco and alcohol consumption habits.
Among 858 ride-hailing drivers, 23% worked night shift. Night shift workers exhibited significantly higher smoking prevalence (59.4% vs. 47.7%) and higher smoking index (0 vs. 140), compared with day shift workers. In the logistic regression model, night shift workers had significantly higher odds of being a smoker [(OR = 1.595 (95% CI, 1.108-2.307)], and a heavy smoker (smoking index ≥ 400; OR = 1.682, 95% CI: 1.002-2.824) compared with day shift workers. The study found no link between alcohol consumption and night shifts among ride-hailing drivers.
The high smoking prevalence among ride-hailing drivers, further elevated by night shift work, highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions in China's platform economy.

PMID:
42494899
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 24 Jul 2026.

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