Reports highlighting a concerning rise in burnout among surgical professionals have sparked demands for a reassessment of physicians’ working hours and a call for sleep management initiatives.
A recently released in-depth examination of medical research has shed light on the concerning prevalence of sleep deprivation, daytime drowsiness and burnout among healthcare professionals, including physicians and medical residents.
Though the research did not assess the direct impact of these sleep disorders on patient safety due to variations in performance tests, the findings raise important implications.
The results were unveiled at the CHEST Annual Meeting by Dr Sawsan Tawfeeq, a distinguished research scholar affiliated with the Global Remote Research Scholars Programme.
The research underscores the pressing need for enhanced sleep health management within the medical field.
The review involved an extensive analysis of 48 studies published between May 2003 and March 2023, encompassing a total of 33,828 participants with a median age of 30.4 years.
These studies focused on a range of sleep disorders, including obstructive sleep apnoea, insomnia, circadian rhythm disorder, restless leg syndrome and sleep deprivation, and their correlation with burnout and patient safety among physicians, residents and interns.
Dr Tawfeeq highlighted the concerning impact of demanding work hours on physicians, which she said could lead to adverse health consequences and burnout, ultimately contributing to physician shortages.
To screen for sleep impairment, 52% of the studies employed specialised subjective screening tools, 15% used objective screening tools, and the remaining 33% used different assessment methods.
Geographically, 40% of the studies were conducted in North America.
The results revealed a striking prevalence of sleep disorders among physicians:
- Sleep deprivation: Six studies found that 71% of physicians suffered from sleep deprivation.
- Daytime sleepiness: In seven studies, 52% of physicians reported daytime sleepiness.
- Insomnia: In 13 studies, 37% of physicians experienced insomnia.
- Burnout: An analysis of eight studies showed that 49% of physicians reported experiencing burnout.
Dr Tawfeeq emphasised the high heterogeneity in each outcome, with sleep deprivation, daytime sleepiness, insomnia, and burnout presenting substantial variability among physicians.
She stressed that burnout can significantly affect patient care, highlighting the urgency of future studies in which healthcare organisations screen for and address sleep disorders in physicians.
In their concluding remarks, Dr Tawfeeq and colleagues underscored the importance of supporting physicians in managing sleep disorders, reducing workplace exhaustion, and addressing burnout.
Such measures may improve patient care, enhance physician wellbeing and ultimately alleviate the ongoing physician shortage crisis.
This study sheds light on the critical need for addressing sleep disorders and burnout among healthcare professionals, potentially enhancing patient care and the overall well-being of medical practitioners.
You can read the full review here.
