Survey of the Sleep Quality of Medical Staff in a Grade A Tertiary Hospital during the Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia Outbreak

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the sleep quality of medical staff in China who are combatting novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19). To perform this, a survey of 127 medical staff from three separate wards (the general ward, isolation ward, and fever clinic) of a Grade A tertiary hospital in China was conducted. The survey questionnaire measured general characteristics and included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). We consequently found that global PSQI scores differed significantly between the different wards (?² = 44.561, P<0.001). Whilst the medical staff in the general ward did not report any sleep disturbances, those in the isolation ward and the fever clinic both exhibited various degrees of sleep disturbance (global PSQI score > 7). Medical staff in the isolation ward had the worst sleep quality (mean rank = 91.74), followed by those in the fever clinic (mean rank = 70.52) and the general ward (mean rank = 39.10), respectively. The primary sleep disturbances reported by the medical staff from the isolation ward included difficulty falling asleep (24 cases, 71.42%), waking early or at night (28 cases, 80%), and nightmares (18 cases, 51.42%). In addition, 31.42% (11 cases) of the medical staff from the isolation ward had less than six hours of sleep a night, and 65.71% (23 cases) felt that their sleep quality was poor; meanwhile, for the staff from the fever clinic these ratios were 16.67% (seven cases) and 33.33% (14 cases), respectively. In contrast, among medical staff in the general ward, 98% (49 cases) reported sleeping for more than six hours a night, and 96% felt that their sleep quality was good. In conclusion, of the medical staff providing treatment for COVID-19, those in isolation wards and fever clinics are more likely to experience sleep disturbances.