Fatigue and sleepiness in night workers: preliminary results of an educational program

• Published in: European journal of public health 2020-09, Vol.30 (Supplement_5)
• Main Authors: Amaral, A P, Câmara, L T, Nunes, L S, Gomes, A A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Education; Families & family life; Fatigue; Fatigue tests; Habits; Health education; Hygiene; Industrial safety; Intervention; Night; Occupational health; Occupational safety; Public health; Risk; Risk levels; Risk reduction; Sleep; Sleep and wakefulness; Sleepiness; Small groups; Work; Workers; Workplace accidents; Workplaces
• ISSN: 1101-1262; 1464-360X
• DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckaa166.356

Abstract Background Night work has negative effects on sleep, sleepiness and fatigue with repercussions in performance, safety and health. Therefore, implementing sleep hygiene educational intervention seems of tremendous importance to industries. The questions underlying this study were: 1) To what extent do shift workers experience risk levels of fatigue and sleepiness?; 2) May a sleep hygiene program be associated with improvements on fatigue and sleepiness? Methods The study was conducted in industry and employed a pre pos-test design using the Epworth's Sleepiness Scale and Chalder's Fatigue Scale. From 471 night workers assessed 45 participants at risk for fatigue and sleepiness (93.3% males), mean age of 31 years (SD = 7.3), were selected for the intervention, composed of four sessions along five months, delivered by the occupational medical doctor. The first three sessions, in small groups, focused in sleep literacy and sleep hygiene; the last one, individual, focused in clinical issues (personalized intervention plan). Results Results suggested that 9.6% (N = 45) of the night workers were at high risk (higher levels of fatigue and sleepiness). After intervention, paired T tests revealed significant decreases (p