Work schedule differences in sleep problems of nursing home caregivers

• Published in: Applied Ergonomics 2008-09, Vol.39 (5), p.597-604
• Main Authors: Takahashi, Masaya, Iwakiri, Kazuyuki, Sotoyama, Midori, Higuchi, Shigekazu, Kiguchi, Masako, Hirata, Mamoru, Hisanaga, Naomi, Kitahara, Teruyo, Taoda, Kazushi, Nishiyama, Katsuo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Applied physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Caregivers; Caregivers - psychology; Caregivers - statistics & numerical data; Caregiving; Cross-Sectional Studies; Demographics; Disorders of higher nervous function. Focal brain diseases. Central vestibular syndrome and deafness. Brain stem syndromes; Ergonomics; Ergonomics. Work place. Occupational physiology; Female; Human physiology applied to population studies and life conditions. Human ecophysiology; Humans; Japan; Male; Medical sciences; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Nursing homes; Nursing Homes - organization & administration; Nursing Homes - statistics & numerical data; Occupational Health; Odds Ratio; Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; Shift work; Sleep; Sleep Disorders, Circadian Rhythm - complications; Sleep Disorders, Circadian Rhythm - epidemiology; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders - epidemiology; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders - etiology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Work schedule; Work Schedule Tolerance - psychology; Working conditions; Working hours
• ISSN: 0003-6870; 1872-9126
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2008.01.003

Nursing home caregivers ( n=775; 604 women; mean age 33.6 years) were studied to examine how work schedules affect their sleep. The shift group ( n=536) worked under a rotating two-shift system ( n=365), a rotating three-shift system ( n=66), or other types of shifts ( n=78). The non-shift group included 222 caregivers. Participants completed a questionnaire about working conditions, sleep problems, health, lifestyle, and demographic factors. The two-shift caregivers reported the highest levels of difficulty initiating sleep (DIS, 37.6%), insomnia symptoms (43.0%), and poor quality of sleep (24.9%) among the groups. Adjusted odds ratios for these problems were significantly greater for the two-shift caregivers than for non-shift counterparts: DIS (odds ratio 2.86, 95% confidence interval 1.57–5.20), insomnia symptoms (2.33, 1.36–4.02), and poor sleep quality (2.15, 1.09–4.22). Our data suggest that working under a rotating two-shift system, which has a longer night shift, is associated with an elevated risk of sleep problems for nursing home caregivers.