Analysis of factors influencing post-pandemic sleep quality among hospital clinical staff in Haikou, China.

INTRODUCTION: Factors contributing to poor sleep quality among healthcare professionals in the period immediately following the COVID pandemic are incompletely understood. METHODS: Clinical staff from one tertiary hospital in Haikou, China, were invited in April 2023 via social media groups to complete a 33-item questionnaire comprised of demographic data, factors influencing sleep quality, and the Chinese versions of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the simplified Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-2), and the simplified Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2). Data were analyzed using descriptive and multiple linear regression statistics. RESULTS: The prevalence of poor sleep quality (PSQI score ≥7) was 55.8% (293/525). Sleep quality was significantly poorer in nurses as compared to physicians and other clinical staff (p=0.001). Staff with higher levels of education reported better sleep quality (p=0.039). Anxiety and depression symptoms were associated with poor sleep quality, prolonged sleep onset, decreased total sleep time, decreased sleep efficiency, sedative-hypnotic use, and daytime functional impairment (p<0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis found independent statistically significant associations between sleep quality and profession type, education level, night shift work, and anxiety and depression symptoms (p<0.05). DISCUSSION: In the period immediately following the COVID pandemic, nurses were found to have poorer sleep quality than physicians and other hospital clinical staff. Night shift work, lower education level, and anxiety and depressive symptoms demonstrated the largest associations with poor sleep quality. Further research should investigate methods for identifying hospital clinical staff at risk of poor sleep and its consequences and effective preventive and mitigation measures.