Sleepiness and injury risk in emergency medical service workers in Taiwan

Abstract

Background Insufficient sleep is a common health and safety risk factor in high-impact workplaces where workers are required to take rotating shifts. However, studies on sleepiness-related risks and incidents, particularly among emergency medical services (EMS) workers are limited. Objective This study sought to investigate the prevalence of sleepiness and related workplace incidents among EMS workers. Methods This study utilized a cross-sectional survey design on a convenient sample of 500 EMS workers from 41 EMS squads across Taiwan. Data were collected using structured online questionnaires on workplace sleepiness and related safety incidents based on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and a modified 25-item EMS Safety Inventory respectively. Results With a response rate of 79.8% (n = 399), 36.9% of the respondents were identified as having mild daytime sleepiness, while 39.2% of the respondents were identified as having excessive daytime sleepiness. Multivariate analysis indicated that not only was working on rotating shifts the main cause of the high ESS scores among EMS workers, but also that higher ESS scores increased their risk of sustaining a workplace injury. Furthermore, ill-at-work incidents were associated with an increased risk of workplace-related injuries. Conclusion Overall, the findings indicated a correlation among working on rotation shifts, the prevalence of sleepiness, and a higher risk of workplace injury among EMS workers.

Stimulant use among prehospital emergency care personnel in Gauteng Province, South Africa

“…[16] Physical and mental fatigue has been shown to affect 50% of EMS personnel in the USA, [18] while excessive daytime sleepiness was experienced by 39.2% of EMS personnel in a study in Taiwan. [35] In comparison, in the present study, difficulty staying awake during a shift was reported by 73.3% of respondents and insomnia by 22.5%, while 10.5% perceived that their insomnia was secondary to stimulant use. Similarly, a study investigating energy drink consumption among medical students and junior doctors in Malta reported that 31.9% of respondents experienced insomnia after consuming energy drinks.…”

Riscos ocupacionais existentes no atendimento pré-hospitalar móvel: Revisão integrativa

“…Evidenciou-se que a sonolência diurna excessiva é comum entre os paramédicos em Taiwan. Esse achado mostra que a sonolência é um fator precipitante de acidentes entre os trabalhadores do serviço médico de emergência 27 .…”

Medical shift work: a narrative review

“…A partir desse ponto, foi realizada a análise crítica das 12 publicações resultantes (Figura 1). Em relação aos métodos, a abordagem apresentada pelos trabalhos em seis dos 12 estudos foi a aplicação de instrumentos utilizados para verificação da vigília e da performance cognitiva dos profissionais, alguns dos quais mencionados com maior frequência: Epworth Sleepiness Scale 18,19 , Psychomotor Vigilance Test, Karolinska Sleepiness Scale 20 , Maslach Burnout Inventory 21 . Esses instrumentos foram utilizados em estudos transversais para a coleta dos dados de prevalência.…”

“…Os estudos que optaram por uma abordagem transversal 18,21,[27][28][29] apresentaram, em comum, a aplicação de questionários como elemento central para a busca dos resultados.…”

“…Contudo, o novo sistema foi considerado mais centrado no serviço do que no aspecto educacional, e os resultados foram baseados em percepções subjetivas dos residentes. Lin et al18 elaboraram um estudo transversal através de questionários on-line enviados a 500 trabalhadores de serviços médicos de emergência de Taiwan com perguntas sobre sonolência no ambiente de trabalho, baseadas na Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Destes, 347 responderam ao questionário, dos quais 281 (81%) reportaram algum tipo de incapacidade nos últimos três meses, índices que aumentavam proporcionalmente à idade do profissional.…”