HealthDay News – Sleep problems and high levels of burnout are linked to an increased likelihood of COVID-19 among healthcare workers (HCW), according to a study published online March 22 in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health.
Hyunju Kim, Ph.D., MPH, of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, and colleagues conducted a web-based survey of HCWs in six countries with high levels of workplace exposure from July 17 to September 25 . 2020. Information on demographics, sleep, work burnout, and COVID-19 exposure was provided by participants. The associations between sleep, burnout and COVID-19 were examined.
The researchers found 568 COVID-19 cases and 2,316 controls among 2,884 exposed HCWs. An hour longer sleep at night was associated with a 12 percent lower chance of COVID-19 after adjusting for confounding factors. The likelihood of COVID-19 was increased by 6 percent related to daytime nap times, but the allocation varied from country to country. In Spain there was an insignificant inverse association. Three sleep problems were associated with an 88 percent higher chance of COVID-19 than no sleep problems. Compared with the report that no burnout was reported, the report of burnout “every day” was associated with an increased probability of COVID-19, a longer duration and an increased severity (odds ratios: 2.60, 2.98 and 3.26). After adjusting for the frequency of COVID-19 exposures, these associations remained significant.
“Our results underscore the importance of the well-being of health professionals during the pandemic,” the authors write. “Awareness of these risk factors in HCWs will be helpful in maintaining a healthy and productive workforce.”
Abstract / full text
Subjects:
COVID19 Practice Management Sleep Sleep Disorders
