Factors Affecting Mental Status and Effects of Shift Working System in Healthcare Workers

Abstract

America and 11% in Turkey in 2019. It is most frequently Objectives: Shift work system causes many physical and mental health problems. This study aimed to investigate the eects of shift work on sleep quality, mental status, and quality of life of healthcare personnel. It also aimed to deter-mine the population at risk for depression and anxiety disorders by assessing dierences among the occupational groups.Methods: This study was carried out with 219 healthcare personnel at Gazi University Hospital. Employees were clas-sied according to their more recent working schedule (shift, non-shift) and occupational groups (doctor, nurse, and other). Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Morning-ness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) were administered to the employees.Results: The BDI (p<0.000), BAI (p<0.001), PSS stress perception subscale (p=0.032), PSQI (p<0.001), and ProQOL burn-out subscale (p<0.001) scores were signicantly higher in shift personnel than non-shift personnel. When the partici-pants were analyzed according to occupational groups, BAI scale scores were signicantly higher in nurses (p=0.001) than doctors or others, whereas stress perception and burnout were signicantly higher in physicians (p=0.003; p=0.005, respectively). There was no signicant dierence between the occupational groups in terms of BDI and occu-pational satisfaction (p=0.101; p=0.778, respectively). In the regression analysis, the most important predictor of the BDI and BAI score was working 41 hours or more. The most important predictor of the PSQI score was shift work.Conclusion: According to these results, especially nurses and doctors working in shifts are at serious risk for depres-sion, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Employees’ awareness should be increased regarding the associated risk of smoking, which is a risk factor. Health care workers should be trained in stress management and sleep hygiene to prevent the occurrence of mental illnesses.Keywords: Anxiety disorders; burnout; depression; health personnel; shift work sleep disorder