Dr. Margaret Kitt, Deputy Director of U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Dr. Chun-Chieh Ho, Chairperson of Taiwan Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health, Ministry of Labor (ILOSH) hosted the International Research Cooperation and Exchange Meeting simultaneously on May 11, 2022. This distinguished Meeting included five important topics: Topic 1: Shift Work and Cancer: What Does it Mean for Workers?; Findings from “Light at Night” Workshop; Topic 2: Shift Work and Breast Cancer: Evidence and Approaches to Reduce Risk; Topic 3: Study on Potential Diseases Risk among Long-term Night Shift Workers in Taiwan; Topic 4: Health Hazards Evaluation for Nurses; Topic 5: Epidemiological Study for Breast Cancer among Workers in Taiwan.

The evidence and approaches to reduce Risk for shift work and cancer. For example, using a hierarchical management system to reduce the risk of breast cancer among night workers, the hierarchical management consists of five steps: elimination, replacement, redesign, education, and encouragement. It is recommended that employers organize regular education and training on the prevention of hazards caused by shifts and overtime work. The psychological needs of nursing staff should be concerned. Employers should carry out regular mental health promotion activities and rationally deploy nursing manpower as well as arrange shift work time, and further target the number of clinical nursing staff. ILOSH will continue to cooperate with NIOSH on international research cooperation and exchanges on night shift work and cancer risk reduction.