Aspects of work and sleep associated with work ability in regular aviation pilots.

Elaine Cristina Marqueze,Pollyanna Pellegrino

doi:10.11606/s1518-8787.2019053000345

Elaine Cristina Marqueze, Pollyanna Pellegrino

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.11606/s1518-8787.2019053000345

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Abstract

ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE:Analyze the association of work organization and sleep aspects with work ability in regular aviation pilots.METHODS:This is a cross-sectional epidemiological study with 1,234 regular aviation pilots who worked domestic and international flights, affiliated with the Brazilian Association of Civil Aviation Pilots. Data collection employed online questionnaire. We compared proportions using Pearson's Chi-squared or Fisher's exact hypothesis tests. Then, we conducted Poisson analysis, with robust variance, to test factors associated with moderate or low work ability.RESULTS:The prevalence of moderate or low work ability was 43.3%. We found that self-perception of insufficient sleep (PR = 1.29; 95%CI 1.06–1.57), increased perception for fatigue (PR = 1.51; 95%CI 1.24–1.84), more than 65 flight hours per month (PR = 1.22; 95%CI 1.01–1.46), less than 10 days of time off per month (PR = 1.27; 95%CI 1.04–1.55), and frequent operational delays (PR = 1.23; 95%CI 1.02–1.48) were factors associated with moderate or low work ability.CONCLUSIONS:Work organization was a determining factor for decreased work ability, especially concerning aspects related to rest and its influence on the sleep of pilots.

Highlights

In recent decades, regular aviation has grown significantly and is part of a process of transformation of the production system, with changes in the organization and management of air transport[9]
We found that selfperception of insufficient sleep (PR = 1.29; 95%CI 1.06–1.57), increased perception for fatigue (PR = 1.51; 95%CI 1.24–1.84), more than 65 flight hours per month (PR = 1.22; 95%CI 1.01–1.46), less than 10 days of time off per month (PR = 1.27; 95%CI 1.04–1.55), and frequent operational delays (PR = 1.23; 95%CI 1.02–1.48) were factors associated with moderate or low work ability
Compared with pilots with great or good work ability, there was a higher proportion of pilots with moderate or low work ability who practiced less than 150 minutes of physical activity per week, who reported sleeping insufficiently and sleeping very poorly, who presented high chance of developing obstructive sleep apnea, with excessive sleepiness, with higher perception of fatigue, who presented unintentional naps during work, and who presented symptoms of insomnia

Summary

Introduction

Regular aviation has grown significantly and is part of a process of transformation of the production system, with changes in the organization and management of air transport[9]. The number of pilots of Brazilian companies grew only 21% over this perioda Such increased demand with no increase in staff has been negatively associated with the health of pilots, which is regulated by civil aviation standards and is responsibility of the State[9]. This new context in aviation leads pilots to overloading, higher frequency of changes in schedule, psychological pressure, and stress, affecting their health and endangering the safety of flights[14]. This is a dynamic process, which undergoes numerous changes over work life, mainly related to functional aging[8]

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