0289 A PICTURE ON THE SLEEP OF THE PORTUGUESE HEALTH SYSTEM: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS OF A WORK IN PROGRESS

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Sleep difficulties are commonly referred by health care workers that can affect quality of life and productivity, both in patients and healthy individuals. This study firstly aimed to evaluate sleep quality in distinct groups of health care workers as well as the impact of shift work and health related habits on the sleep of such professionals. Methods This prospective, cross sectional, observational study involved health care workers (Physicians, Residents, Nurse Staff, Psychologists and Therapeutic and Diagnostic Technicians - TDT) from the Portuguese Health System (public or private) aged from 25 and 65 years old. A General Health Survey was followed by Standard validated sleep questionnaires for assessment of sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index - PSQI), insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index - ISI), risk of obstructive sleep apnea (STOP-BANG), and excessive daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale - ESS). Results From the pretended pool of 425 health care workers to whom questionnaires where sent, 160 (131: 81.9% females) responded (37.7% of response rate). From those, 30% of those professionals were Residents, 30.6% were TDT, 21.9% Physicians, 10.6% Nurses, and 6.9% Psychologists. 46.5% assumed itself with a morning-type profile whereas 39.5% were intermedium and 14% evening-type persons. From the global sample, 62.5% had poor sleep quality with 37.5% in the insomnia threshold whereas 14.4% presented with either moderate or severe forms of insomnia. Regarding the risk for sleep disordered breathing, 6.5% where at high risk for Obstructive Sleep Apnea - OSA, and 15.6% complained from mild to moderately forms of excessive sleepiness (ESS>10). In this sample, psychologists achieved the better sleep quality scores while nurses had the poorest scores for the same parameter. Conclusion This preliminary findings on the sleep of the portuguese health care workers, suggest that such professionals experience a poor sleep quality in general with a prevalence of major sleep disorders similar to the general population. Although the majority seemed to denie a significant degree of daytime sleepiness, those within a shift work regimen are likely to perform worse. Support (if any)