Self-perceived sleepiness in emergency training physicians: prevalence and relationship with quality of life

Sleep deprivation among training physicians is of growing concern; training physicians are susceptible due to their prolonged work hours and rotating work schedules. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of self-perceived sleepiness in emergency training physicians, and to establish a relationship between self-perceived sleepiness, and quality of life.

Prospective survey in Ibn Sina University hospital Center in Morocco from January to April 2011 was conducted. Questionnaires pertaining to socio-demographic, general, and sleep characteristics were completed by training physician who ensured emergency service during the month preceding the survey. They completed the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) which assessed the self-perceived sleepiness, and the EuroQol-5 dimensions (EQ-5D) scale which assessed the general quality of life.

Total 81 subjects (49 men and 32 women) were enrolled with mean age of 26.1 ± 3.4 years. No sleepiness was found in 24.7% (n = 20), excessive sleepiness 39.5% (n = 32), and severe sleepiness in 35.8% (n = 29) of training physicians. After adjusting for multiple confounding variables, four independent variables were associated with poorer quality of life index in training physician; unmarried (ß -0.2, 95% CI -0.36 to -0.02; P = 0.02), no physic exercise (ß -0.2, 95% CI -0.39 to 0.006; P = 0.04), shift-off sleep hour less than 6 hours (ß -0.13, 95% CI -0.24 to -0.02; P = 0.01), and severe sleep deprivation(ß -0.2, 95% CI -0.38 to -0.2; P = 0.02).

Nearly two third of training physicians had suffered from sleepiness. There is an association between poor quality of life and severe sleepiness in unmarried physicians, sleeping less than 6 hours in shift-off day, and doing no physical activity.