Sleep and Fatigue – Work, Stress, and Health

Uncovering the sources and impacts of fatigue for onshore oil and gas extraction workers

November 13, 2021November 12, 2021

To better understand motor vehicle injuries and associated risk factors in the U.S. onshore oil and gas extraction (OGE) industry, NIOSH researchers set out to survey 500 OGE workers. Survey respondents reported extreme daily commutes, long work hours, and limited sleep all of which were significantly associated with risky driving behaviors and poor driving safety outcomes. The NIOSH researchers are initiating a new research study to identify and describe fatigue in this workforce. The goal of this project is to produce baseline estimates of fatigue for onshore OGE workers, develop initial guidance to employers about the types of work tasks, work schedules, and determine operational environments that should be targeted for fatigue-related interventions.

NIOSH Chronic Disease Prevention Program: Expanding Partnerships to Prevent Occupational Disease

November 13, 2021November 12, 2021

This presentation provides information on the mission and function of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health?s (NIOSH?s) Cancer, Reproductive, Cardiovascular and Other Chronic Disease Prevention Program (CRC). The poster will describe current research priorities related to reducing and preventing occupational chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, renal diseases, and neurological diseases as well as adverse reproductive outcomes. Collaboration with researchers, labor unions, professional and trade associations, and others is critical to the CRC and this poster will help to promote partnerships external to NIOSH.

NIOSH Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing Program: Work, Stress, and Health

November 13, 2021November 12, 2021

The NIOSH Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing Program (AgFF) provides leadership and coordination between intra- and extramural efforts nationwide to prevent work-related injuries and illnesses among the nation?s agricultural, forestry, and fishing workers (AgFF). AgFF workers are exposed to high-risk, unpredictable environments, as well as long hours and shift work. Likewise, the majority of AgFF workers are in non-standard work arrangements, and unlike many sectors, most AgFF workers are specifically exempted in many regulatory policies regarding minimum wage, overtime, maximum hours per shift, child labor, and health and safety enforcement. This poster will highlight the NIOSH AgFF Program?s recent and future research, training, and outreach initiatives related to mental health and stress, sleep deprivation and fatigue, aging, workplace violence, non-standard work arrangements, and health equity in order to improve the overall health of all AgFF workers.

Early career challenges on the frontlines: Emergency medicine residents’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic

November 13, 2021November 12, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted countless challenges and novel stressors on healthcare workers. Emergency medicine residents have been on the frontlines of this crisis from the very start and have encountered a variety of unique stressors and challenges throughout this global crisis. Research presented here seeks to provide insight into emergency medicine residents? experiences through a mixed-methods longitudinal survey administered beginning in March 2020 and continuing to present day. Results provide a continuous and detailed storyline of challenges and coping mechanisms that emergency medicine residents have reported throughout this global crisis.

Occupational Stress and Burnout in the Fire Service: Examining the Complex Role and Impact of Sleep Health

November 12, 2021November 12, 2021

The occupational stress inherent in firefighting poses both physiological and psychological risks to firefighters that have been found to possess a reciprocal nature. That is, the nature of these relationships in terms of indicator and impact are elusive, especially as it relates to sleep health (e.g., quality, quantity, hygiene, etc.) as a specific physiological risk and burnout as a specific psychological risk. A series of mediation models were assessed to examine the reciprocal relationships between occupational stress, burnout, and sleep health in a sample of 161 career firefighters. The mediation models confirmed reciprocity among the variables in so much that relationships were best described by the underlying mechanism at work. Comprehensive assessments of both subjective and objective markers of sleep health should be incorporated into firefighter research to supplement behavioral health assessments and interventions, especially related to burnout and occupational stress.

Occupational Health Impact of COVID-19 Response on Nurses’ Stress and Well-being in Hospital Setting

November 13, 2021November 12, 2021

This study examined COVID-19 and personal factors associated with the health and well-being of 314 US nurses in hospital setting, during a heightened wave of the pandemic. A significant percentage of nurses reported high level of stressors associated with COVID-19 experience at work and in their personal lives, significant COVID-19 related anxiety, depression, and high levels of burnout. Nurses with children at home, caring for COVID-19 patients, with higher workload and less seniority, reported worse mental health and well-being outcomes. The results indicate the need for interventions to support nurses during and post-pandemic.

Examining the Relationship Between Work Demands and Burnout During COVID-19 and the Moderating Effects of Professional Social Support and Psychological Flexibility

November 12, 2021November 12, 2021

The objective of this study (to be completed by July 2021) is to assess the relationship between work demands and burnout among applied behavior analysis (ABA) practitioners, along with the moderating role of professional social support and psychological flexibility. This study extends previous burnout research within this professional demographic to understand how work demands may have changed for ABA practitioners in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. ABA practitioners are at higher risk of burnout due to characteristics of their work, and workloads for ABA practitioners are expected to be heavier during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may intensify physical and mental exhaustion. The study used a non-experimental design, and a link to a web-based survey was disseminated.

The influence of COVID-19 on the Sleep Patterns of Black Nurses

November 13, 2021November 12, 2021

Social and environmental work and non-work experiences increase the risk for sleep deficiency (i.e., sleep duration, quality) among healthcare workers self-identifying as Black. As the COVID-19 pandemic increased the workload, stress, and disrupted sleep of healthcare workers, little was published on the sleep of registered nurses self-identifying as Black. This cross-section study, conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic and after the protests of George Floyd?s murder, found registered nurses self-identified as Black reported experiencing sleep deficiencies during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sleep and health of registered nurses identifying as Black should be considered more contextually, as these nurses may need more holistic support to achieve healthy sleep.

Better Recovery from Stress through Improved Boundary Management: Test of an Intervention

November 12, 2021November 12, 2021

This study details the creation and initial testing of a training program designed to teach college students about recovery experiences and the importance of psychological detachment and boundary management tactics which can help people manage occupational stress. We created a 90 minute training program for undergraduate business students. The results showed significant improvements in participants’ trained knowledge and an increase in psychological detachment over time. This research suggests that training aimed at enhancing knowledge of recovery and skill in the use of boundary management tactics can be beneficial for college students and should possibly be modified and tested in other populations.