Morningness‐Eveningness Preferences of Emergency Medicine Residents Are Skewed toward Eveningness

• Published in: Academic emergency medicine 1997-07, Vol.4 (7), p.699-705
• Main Authors: Steele, Mark T., McNamara, Robert M., Smith‐Coggins, Rebecca, Watson, William A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Attitude of Health Personnel; bio‐rhythms; Chi-Square Distribution; Circadian Rhythm; circadian rhythms; Cohort Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Emergency Medicine - statistics & numerical data; Female; Health Care Surveys; Humans; Internship and Residency - statistics & numerical data; Job Satisfaction; Logistic Models; Male; Middle Aged; morningness‐eveningness; Parents - psychology; Physicians, Women - psychology; Physicians, Women - statistics & numerical data; postgraduate medical education; residents; Self-Assessment; Sex Factors; shift work; Surveys and Questionnaires - standards; United States; Work Schedule Tolerance - psychology
• ISSN: 1069-6563; 1553-2712
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1553-2712.1997.tb03763.x

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the morningness‐eveningness (ME) distribution of emergency medicine (EM) residents. Method: A voluntary, modified ME questionnaire was administered to all EM residents in the United States at the time of the 1995 American Board of Emergency Medicine's annual In‐Training Examination. Results: Seventy‐eight percent (2,047/2,614) of the surveys were returned. ME scores ranged from 24 to 76, with a median score of 49 (interquartile range 44, 56). The scores were distributed differently from those of the normal population (p < 0.001), being skewed toward eveningness. There was a correlation (r = 0.13, p < 0.0001) between resident age and ME score, with older residents being more morning‐oriented. Males were more morning‐oriented than females (p = 0.005), and respondents with children living at home also were significantly more morning‐oriented (p < 0.001). Stepwise logistic regression showed that the influence of age, gender, and children was cumulative (r = 0.19) but accounted for only 4% of the observed variability. Conclusion: EM residents are distributed differently from the normal population in terms of their ME preferences, tending slightly toward eveningness. The importance of this distribution in EM residents is unknown. A longitudinal follow‐up of this cohort may help to determine the association of ME preference with overall practice satisfaction, tolerance of shift work, and career longevity. The authors thank Barbara McClusky and Jayna Ross for data entry and management, Linda L. Smith for manuscript preparation, James C. Impara, PhD, and Ted Carter, Buros Institute of Mental Measurements, University of Nebraska‐Lincoln, for their statistical assistance, and the staff at SAEM (particularly Mary Ann Schropp). This study was performed under the authorization of the Inservice Examination Survey Task Force of SAEM.