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Published on: August 8, 2019
Effect of Work-Related Behavior and Experience Patterns on Sleep Quality in Emergency Medical Service Personnel
Julia Schnell1, Beatrice Thielmann, Heiko Schumann
1From the Otto-von-Guericke-University, Institute of Occupational Medicine, Medical Faculty, Magdeburg, Germany.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to examine the influence of work-related behavior and experience patterns on sleep quality in emergency medical service personnel.
Methods:
From the total sample of 508 emergency medical service workers who took part in the Germany-wide online survey, 368 respondents completed the questionnaires on sleep characteristics (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]) and work-related behavior and experience pattern. Three hundred sixty-seven of the 368 participants also finished the Regensburg Insomnia Scale.
Results:
Based on their work-related behavior and experience pattern results, individuals were categorized into one of the four following patterns: two risk patterns (A, B) and two healthy behavior and experience patterns (G, S). Participants that were classified into risk-pattern A and B (33.85%) scored significantly higher in both PSQI and Regensburg Insomnia Scale overall score and all PSQI components implicating a poorer sleep quality. A total of 78.5% of the individuals with pattern A and B were considered bad sleepers whereas only 43.4% of individuals with pattern G and S were scored as bad sleepers.
Conclusions:
Work-related behavior and experience patterns showed a strong association to sleep characteristics and may therefore be used to identify appropriate preventative measures.
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