Relationship of Sleep Deficiency to Perceived Pain and Functional Limitations in Hospital Patient Care Workers

• DOI: 10.1097/jom.0b013e31824e6913
• Publication Date: 2012-07-14T07:57:09Z
• Authors: Orfeu M. Buxton; Karen Hopcia; Grace Sembajwe; James H. Porter; Jack T. Dennerlein; Christopher Kenwood; Anne M. Stoddard; Dean Hashimoto; Glorian Sorensen
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Risk; Incidence; Nurses; Middle Aged; Health Surveys; 3. Good health; Occupational Diseases; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Musculoskeletal Pain; Surveys and Questionnaires; Activities of Daily Living; Humans; Sleep Deprivation; Female

Health care workers are at high risk of developing musculoskeletal symptoms and pain. This study tested the hypothesis that sleep deficiency is associated with pain, functional limitations, and physical limitations that interfere with work.Hospital patient care workers completed a survey (79% response rate) including measures of health, sociodemographic, and workplace factors. Associations of sleep deficiency with pain, work interference due to this pain, and functional limitations were determined.Of 1572 respondents (90% women; mean age, 41 years), 57% reported sleep deficiency, 73% pain in last 3 months, 33% work interference, and 18% functional limitation. Sleep deficiency was associated with higher rates of pain, work interference, and functional limitation controlling for socioeconomic, individual, and workplace characteristics.Sleep deficiency is significantly associated with pain, functional limitation, and workplace interference, suggesting modifiable outcomes for workplace health and safety interventions.