Physicians frequently experience sleep deprivation, burnout

Key takeaways:

• Analysis of several studies showed that physicians frequently had sleep deprivation and daytime sleepiness.
• Burnout was reported in nearly 50% of physicians and residents.

HONOLULU — Sleep deprivation, daytime sleepiness and burnout are common among physicians, according to a systematic review presented at the CHEST Annual Meeting.

“[There is a] need for improved sleep health management in the medical field,” Sawsan Tawfeeq, MD, research scholar at Global Remote Research Scholars Program, said during her presentation.

Using PubMed, Tawfeeq and colleagues reviewed and assessed 48 studies published between May 2003 and March 2023 (n = 33,828; median age, 30.4 years) on sleep disorders — obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, circadian rhythm disorder, restless leg syndrome, sleep deprivation — in physicians, residents and interns to gain an understanding of the frequency of these conditions and how they may be related to burnout and patient safety.

During her presentation, Tawfeeq noted that demanding work hours placed on physicians may put them on track for adverse health consequences and burnout, which ultimately contribute to physician shortages.

When screening for sleep impairment, more than half of the studies (52%) used a specialized subjective screening tool, whereas 15% used an objective screening tool and the remaining 33% used a different tool. In terms of geography, a little less than half (40%) of the included studies took place in North America, Tawfeeq said.

Six studies evaluated sleep deprivation, in which researchers found that 71% (95% CI, 57%-81%) of physicians suffered with this disorder. Daytime sleepiness was also frequently reported among physicians, demonstrated by a prevalence of 52% (95% CI, 43%-61%) in seven studies.

Further, within the 13 studies that assessed insomnia, more than one-third of physicians (37%; 95% CI, 26%-49%) experienced this condition, according to researchers.

In terms of the impact of these sleep disorders, researchers observed burnout in nearly half (49%; 95% CI, 39%-58%) of physicians in an analysis of eight studies that reported this outcome.

Importantly, Tawfeeq said during her presentation that heterogeneity was high for each outcome: sleep deprivation (I² = 96), daytime sleepiness (I² = 83.93), insomnia (I² = 98.92) and burnout (I² = 97.49).

Unfortunately, variation in performance tests meant that researchers could not evaluate how these sleep disorders impacted patient safety; however, the observed results still have important implications, Tawfeeq said.

“[Burnout] can negatively impact patient care, further emphasizing the need for future studies where health care organizations screen for and address sleep disorders in physicians,” Tawfeeq and colleagues wrote. “Providing support to physicians to manage sleep disorders, reduce workplace exhaustion and burnout may lead to better patient care, improved physician well-being, and ultimately help alleviate the existing physician shortage.”