Evaluation of daytime sleepiness and sleep quality among resident physicians of Damascus: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective: In this study, we aim to assess daytime sleepiness and quality of sleep among resident physicians of Damascus, the capital of Syria. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on resident physicians of Damascus who work for hospitals of Ministry of Health, Ministry of Higher Education, and Ministry of Defense between November 2020 and December 2020. Participants completed a questionnaire about sociodemographic and sleep characteristics in addition to the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 22. Results: 514 participants completed the questionnaire. Excessive daytime sleepiness (ESS score> 10) was evident in 32.9% of the participants. In total, 79.5% had poor sleep quality (global PSQI score>5). Specialties with the worst sleep quality were nuclear medicine, pathology, and psychiatry. Specialties with the worst ESS score were surgery, nuclear medicine, and radiology. Conclusion: More than one third of the resident physicians suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness, and more than two thirds have poor sleep quality. This might indicate the need for radical improvements to residency circumstances to enhance sleep quality.