THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SLEEP HEALTH AND WORK- AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN DESK WORKERS AND DIFFERENCES IN ASSOCIATIONS PRE- AND POST-COVID-19 EMERGENCE

ABSTRACT

Introduction: COVID-19 resulted in many office workers switching to remote work. Emerging studies report working from home has negatively affected sleep health (SH) and psychological well-being. Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between SH and healthand work-related quality of life and explore whether these associations differed pre- and post-COVID-19 emergence. Methods: Baseline data from 125 adults enrolled pre- (n=59) and post-COVID-19 emergence (n=66) in a clinical trial with desk jobs were included in this analysis (86.4% White;49.6% female;43.9±10.7 y). Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed using the SF-36 questionnaire, which addresses eight health concepts (physical, social, and role functioning;mental health;health perceptions;energy or fatigue;pain;general health) and yields 2 summary scales (mental component summary, physical component summary). Workplace productivity and worker health was measured using the Health and Work Questionnaire (HWQ). Six SH dimensions were assessed using questionnaires (satisfaction, alertness) and 7 nights of actigraphy (regularity, timing, efficiency, duration). Each dimension was categorized as good or poor;a composite score was created based on the sum of good SH dimensions. Multiple linear regression models were adjusted for gender and age and stratified by enrollment pre- or post-COVID-19 emergence. Data are presented as standardized coefficients (β) and p-values (p). Results: Compared to participants enrolled prior to COVID-19, those enrolled post-COVID-19 had worse SF-36 emotional, social, and general health and greater HWQ-assessed impatience (all p<0.05);however, SH did not differ between those enrolled pre- and post-COVID. Prior to COVID-19, greater SH was associated with higher SF-36 physical component scores (β=.389, p=.003);however, no association was observed post-COVID (β=.137, p=.271). In contrast, no association was observed pre-COVID between SH and SF-36 mental component scores (β=.181, p=.160), but greater SH was associated with greater mental component scores post- COVID (β =.308, p=.004). Furthermore, better SH was associated with lower stress post-COVID (β =-.423, p<.001). Conclusion: SH was associated with HRQoL and workplace and worker health, though these associations sometimes differed between pre- and post-COVID emergence. Research should explore whether promoting SH in employees impacts their personal and workplace-related quality of life.