Prevalence of sleepiness among healthcare staff: A cross-sectional study
in a university hospital in Palestine
Abstract
Purpose: This study assesses sleep quality by measuring daytime
sleepiness and related factors among healthcare professionals in a large
university hospital.
Method: This was a cross-sectional study conducted using the
Arabic version of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and the study was
performed based on the STROBE guidelines.
Results: The majority of the participants were aged between 30
to 34 years 35.7%, most of the participants worked from 1 to 5 years
52.0 % in this hospital, also the majority of them were working from 30
to 40 hours per week 64.7%. The majority of medical personnel reported
normal sleep; however, 25.4% reported that they may be excessively
sleepy depending on the situation, and 2.8% reported that they are
excessively sleepy and should consider seeking medical attention. There
was a statistically significant association between sleepiness and sex
using multivariate analysis (p value= 0.032).
Conclusions: Approximately one-third of participants reported
excessive daytime sleepiness, which could indicate the need for medical
attention. Daytime sleepiness could affect sleep quality and thus staff
performance. It is essential to look for interventions to improve the
work environment for healthcare staff to enhance their sleep quality and
job performance. Staff may require effective lifestyle changes to
improve their sleep quality.