Abstract
Paramedics face many challenges while on duty, one of which is working different types of shifts. Shift work has been linked to a number of health issues such as insomnia, depression, and anxiety. Besides shift work, Saudi paramedics, a group that has not been investigated for sleep or mental health issues previously, may be facing more demands than Australian paramedics due to lower numbers of paramedics in comparison to the general population. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of sleep and mental health disorders among paramedics in Saudi Arabia and Australia. Paramedics were invited to complete a survey to assess stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, daytime sleepiness, insomnia, sleep quality, shift work disorder, obstructive sleep apnoea, fatigue, and general health. A total of 104 males Saudi paramedics (M age = 32.5 ± 6.1 years) and 83 males paramedics from Australia (M age = 44.1 ± 12.1 years) responded to the survey. Significantly higher rates of depression, PTSD, insomnia, and fatigue, along with significantly poorer physical functioning were observed among Saudi paramedics in comparison with Australian paramedics. However, Australian paramedics reported significantly poorer sleep quality and general health in comparison to Saudi paramedics. After removing the effect of driving and working durations, outcomes were no longer significant. The higher burden of depression and PTSD among Saudi paramedics may be explained by longer hours spent driving and longer work durations reported by this group. Taking into consideration the outcomes reported in this study, more investigations are needed to study their possible effects on paramedics’ cognition, performance, and safety.
Highlights
The continuous demand for 24-h emergency support requires paramedics to work shift schedules that are outside the standard 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. schedule [1]
The rotating shift was the most prevalent shift reported by both cohorts, with 95% of Saudi paramedics and 76% of Australian paramedics having reported working in a rotating shift, while 8% of the Australian and 5% of Saudi paramedics worked in a fixed shift
The present study investigated the prevalence of sleep and mental health concerns among Saudi paramedics and conducted a comparison with previously collected data from males in a sample of Australian paramedics [16]
Summary
The continuous demand for 24-h emergency support requires paramedics to work shift schedules that are outside the standard 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. schedule [1]. According to Zverev et al (2009), sleep deprivation is the main outcome experienced by shift workers [3]. Sleep deprivation may contribute to the onset of many health issues, including mental health disorders [4]. In addition to shift work, paramedics have to cope with other significant challenges, including trauma, accidents, and death. This places them at higher risk of developing mental health issues. More work is required to fully understand the burden of mental health issues among paramedics
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