High prevalence of insomnia among physiatrists in the Czech Republic: A web-based questionnaire survey

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Physicians who suffer from poor sleep quality are at an increased risk of mistakes and poor decision-making. We deemed it noteworthy to assess sleep quality in practicing physiatrists, previously reported to be at higher risk of physician burnout, which was documented associated with sleep deprivation. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to estimate the prevalence of sleep disturbance among practicing physiatrists and evaluate the association of sleep quality with their sleep hygiene habits and depression. METHODS: Of the 101 study participants (77 females) who met the inclusion criteria, the majority was between the age of 25 and 40 years (70.3%); 62 (61.4%) were specialists and 39 (38.6%) were in training. In this cross-sectional study, practicing physiatrists were invited to complete an anonymous and voluntary web-based survey. The survey consisted of questions covering demographic information, nicotine and caffeine consumption, exercise habits, and three questionnaires: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and the Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI). RESULTS: Sixty-five (64.4%) respondents showed poor sleep quality (PSQI > 5), and 23 (22.8%) showed at least mild symptoms of depression (BDI-II>13). The mean PSQI, SHI, BDI-II scores were 6.85±3.09, 18.18±5.35, and 8.36±7.52, respectively. Poor sleep quality was significantly positively correlated with symptoms of depression and sleep hygiene misbehavior. CONCLUSION: We found that 64.4% of practicing physiatrists suffered from poor sleep quality, and 22.8% showed at least mild symptoms of depression. Considerable efforts should be directed toward sleep hygiene behavior and mental health improvement.