Effect of Sleep Quality and Health in Emergency Medical Doctors on Duty at Night

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Emergency medical doctors face a working environment full of various types of stresses and often must work the night shift. This research is focused on the influences between night shift work, sleep, and physical and psychiatric health. METHODS: The subjects of research in the Internet-based survey were 51 emergency medical doctors working in four university hospitals, regional emergency medical centers, and hospitals of emergency medicine located in Honam District, Gwangju, Korea. RESULTS: Of the 51 respondents, 41.2% worked two night shifts per week and 45.1% worked three night shifts per week. Comparison of specialists and resident doctors did not reveal statistical differences between the quality of sleep and the prevalence of cardiovascular and psychiatric symptoms. However, there was a significantly higher prevalence of gastrointestinal diseases among resident doctors. Comparisons based on hospital size revealed significantly higher prevalence of gastrointestinal disease in university hospitals. The number of weekly night shifts did not significantly influence outcomes. CONCLUSION: Resident doctors and emergency medical doctors working in university hospitals may be more susceptible to gastrointestinal diseases. While no significant differences were evident concerning the prevalence of cardiovascular disease, the known similar mechanisms between gastrointestinal and cardiovascular disease indicates that continued exposure to stressful situations may prelude severe diseases such as cardiovascular disease.