Archives of Hellenic Medicine

Last update:

10-Jun-2025

Arch Hellen Med, 42(4), July-August 2025, 481-493

ORIGINAL PAPER

Disturbed sleep and health-related quality of life among hospital physicians

E.S. Karampi,¹ A. Baou,² A. Sotiriou,² E. Perraki,² C. Tzavara,³ E. Laskari,¹ I. Efstratiou,¹ C. Zolotas,¹ P. Kremmydas,¹ S. Zakynthinos,² S. Mentzelopoulos,² H. Loutrari,² E. Vagiakis²
¹Department of Critical Care, Hospital of Kalamata, Kalamata,
²Center of Sleep Disorders, First Department of Critical Care and Pulmonary Services, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Evangelismos" General Hospital, Athens,
³Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

OBJECTIVE To investigate the possible association between stress, depression, insomnia, daytime sleepiness and sleep quality with health-related quality of their life.

METHOD A cross-sectional study that included 132 physicians who completed a complex self-report questionnaire after a 24-hour shift. The questionnaire included sociodemographic and professional characteristics, lifestyle behaviors, medical history and occupational variables. The assessment of stress, depressive symptoms and insomnia within the previous month, recent daytime sleepiness, quality of sleep in the last month and health-related quality of life was evaluated through the specific self-evaluation questionnaires. In particular, we used the Spielberger Inventory (STAI-s) for assessment of state anxiety, the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) for insomnia, the Beck Depression Scale (BDI) for depression, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) for daytime sleepiness, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for sleep quality and the SF-12 scale for health-related quality of life. Linear and logistic regression analyzes were used in order to find independently associated factors with quality of life and disturbed sleep.

RESULTS The mean physician's working time in the previous week was 60.1 hours (SD=14.8 hours), the median number of 24-hour shift days in the previous month was 7 hours and the mean sleep duration in the last shift day was 3.6 hours (SD=2.2 hours). Although most of the participants completed the questionnaire before and after the full 24-hours duty day, there was no statistically significant difference in stress (state anxiety) scores. The participants reported 65.9% insomnia (AIS ≥6), 48.1% poor sleep quality (PSQI >5) and 25% daytime sleepiness (ESS >10). The prolonged working time over the past week and being a resident are independent risk factors for insomnia within the previous month. The physicians' health-related quality of life was negatively correlated with depression, stress, poor sleep quality, insomnia, but not with daytime sleepiness.

CONCLUSIONS We found excessive prevalence of insomnia among hospital physicians. Also, high incidence of stress, daytime sleepiness and poor quality of sleep were reported. The current status of working conditions may be related to disturbed sleep, has adverse effects upon mental health among hospital physicians, and consequently on their health-related quality of life.

Key words: Daytime sleepiness, Health-related quality of life, Hospital physicians, Insomnia, Quality of sleep.