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Open Access 01-12-2022 | Research

Hospital physicians´ working hour characteristics and sleep quality: a cross-sectional analysis of realized working hour and survey data

Authors: Kati Karhula, Aki Koskinen, Jenni Ervasti, Tarja Hakola, Veli-Matti Isoviita, Ilkka Kivimäki, Sampsa Puttonen, Tuula Oksanen, Mikko Härmä

Published in: BMC Health Services Research | Issue 1/2022

Abstract

Background

Hospital physicians’ work includes on-call duties to provide 24/7 health care. Previous studies using self-reported survey data have associated long working hours and on-call work with sleep difficulties. To reduce recall bias, we complemented survey data with payroll-based objective data to study whether hospital physicians’ realized working hours are associated with sleep.

Methods

The study was nested within the Finnish Public Sector study. We used survey data on 728 hospital physicians (mean age 43.4 years, 62% females) from 2015 linked to realized daily working hour data from 3 months preceding the survey. The associations of working hour characteristics with sleep quantity and quality were studied with multinomial logistic regression analysis adjusted for demographics, overall stressfulness of life situation, control over scheduling of shifts, and hospital district.

Results

One fourth (26%) of the participants reported short (≤6.5 h) average sleep duration. Frequent night work (> 6 shifts/91 days) was associated with short sleep (OR 1.87 95%CI 1.23–2.83) compared to no night work. Approximately one third (32%) of the physicians reported insufficient sleep. Physicians with long weekly working hours (> 48 hours) had higher odds for insufficient sleep (OR 1.78 95%CI 1.15–2.76) than physicians with short weekly working hours (< 40 hours). Insufficient sleep was also associated with frequent on-call duties (> 12 shifts/3 months OR 2.00 95%CI 1.08–3.72), frequent night work (OR 1.60 95%CI 1.09–2.37), and frequent short shift intervals (≤11 hours; > 12 times/3 months OR 1.65 95%CI 1.01–2.69) compared to not having these working hour characteristics. Nearly half of the physicians (48%) reported at least one sleep difficulty at least two times a week and frequent night work increased odds for difficulties in initiating sleep (OR 2.43 95%CI 1.04–5.69). Otherwise sleep difficulties were not associated with the studied working hour characteristics.

Conclusion

We used realized working hour data to strengthen the evidence on on-call work and sleep quality and our results advice to limit the frequency of night work, on-call shifts, short shift intervals and long weekly working hours to promote hospital physicians’ sufficient sleep.

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Title: Hospital physicians´ working hour characteristics and sleep quality: a cross-sectional analysis of realized working hour and survey data
Authors: Kati Karhula
Aki Koskinen
Jenni Ervasti
Tarja Hakola
Veli-Matti Isoviita
Ilkka Kivimäki
Sampsa Puttonen
Tuula Oksanen
Mikko Härmä
Publication date: 01-12-2022
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Health Services Research / Issue 1/2022
Electronic ISSN: 1472-6963
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08336-0

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Hospital physicians´ working hour characteristics and sleep quality: a cross-sectional analysis of realized working hour and survey data

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

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