An exploration of the association between sleep deprivation and psychological distress among Maltese healthcare professionals

Abstract

Sleep deprivation occurs when an individual experiences lack of sleep quantity and / or quality. The present research studied, the likelihood of undergoing negative psychological consequences when sleep deprived. Moreover, it looked at differences in sleep deprivation, and mental distress levels, of shift workers and non-shift workers. Participants who took part in the study came from four hospitals in Malta and Gozo. The majority were female (n = 148) mostly aged between 51 to 55 years. A quantitative methodology was employed, and data was collected through a voluntary sample of healthcare professionals, using an online survey, which assessed for demographics, sleep quality, sleep quantity and level of mental distress. The results obtained from Pearson’s correlation, suggest that there is a positive relationship between sleep quality and psychological distress (r = .558) in Maltese healthcare professionals. However, there was no relationship between sleep quantity and psychological distress. Additionally, results from the ANOVA shows that, no significant differences were found, between healthcare professionals who work on a shift basis, and those who work office hours during the day. The implications of these findings are discussed.