Association between sleep quality and type of shift work in Korean firefighters

Abstract

Background Shift work that interferes with normal sleep patterns, is known to be a cause of sleep disturbance and has been studied through various occupational groups. However, it is not known which shift type is better for sleep health. Methods This study included 568 firefighters. Sleep quality was evaluated using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Sleep quality was categorized into 2 groups; good quality (≤ 5 points) and poor quality (≥ 6 points). Demographic variables, depression, anxiety, type of shift, and job were collected by self-reported questionnaires. The χ 2 test, t-test, and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to evaluate the effect of shift type on the sleep quality of firefighters. Results Three hundred thirty-seven firefighters (59.3%) have poor sleep quality. Compared to day workers, the odds ratios (ORs) of poor sleep quality were 2.169 (95% confidence interval: 1.137–4.134) in 6-day cycle, 2.161 (1.150–4.062) in 9-day cycle, 1.805 (1.087–2.997) in 21-day cycle, and 1.485 (0.718–3.069) in 3-day cycle. The ORs of poor sleep quality were 1.697(1.021–2.823) in fire suppression and 2.325 (1.213–4.455) in emergency medical service compared to administration. Conclusions All shift work type except for the 3-day cycle was associated with poor sleep quality compared to day work.

The Impact of Sleep on Haematological Parameters in Firefighters

“…The present study did not find any correlations with the exercise variable. These results highlight the need for more investigation into such a field of interest, especially considering that other research indicates that exercise can cause an increment in blood levels as an adaptation response to training [ 42 , 106 , 107 ]. Such variations and mechanisms are only partially understood [ 108 , 109 ].…”

Association of age and night flight duration with sleep disorders among Chinese airline pilots

“…Sleep problems are common in shift workers, such as healthcare professionals (39.2%) ( 19 ), night shift autoworkers (56.2%) ( 20 ), and firefighters (59.3%) ( 21 ), and their prevalence is relatively higher than the general population (16.6–35.9%) ( 22 – 24 ). In this study, we observed a higher prevalence of sleep disorders in professional airline pilots, mirroring the result obtained from national commercial pilots in Saudi Arabia ( 6 , 7 ).…”