Factors Associated With Sleep Quality Among Operating Engineers

Abstract

Blue collar workers generally report high job stress and are exposed to loud noises at work and engage in many of the health behavioral factors, all of which have been associated with poor sleep quality. However, sleep quality of blue collar workers has not been studied extensively, and no studies have focused Operating Engineers (heavy equipment operators) among whom daytime fatigue would place them at high risk for accidents. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine variables associated with sleep quality among Operating Engineers. This was a cross-sectional survey design with a dependent variable of sleep quality and independent variables of personal and related health behavioral factors. A convenience sample of 498 Operating Engineers was recruited from approximately 16,000 Operating Engineers from entire State of Michigan in 2008. Linear regression was used to determine personal and related health behavior factors associated with sleep quality. Multivariate analyses showed that personal factors related to poor sleep quality were younger age, female sex, higher pain, more medical comorbidities and depressive symptoms and behavioral factors related to poor sleep quality were nicotine dependence. While sleep scores were similar to population norms, approximately 34% (n=143) showed interest in health services for sleep problems. While many personal factors are not changeable, interventions to improve sleep hygiene as well as interventions to treat pain, depression and smoking may improve sleep quality resulting in less absenteeism, fatal work accidents, use of sick leave, work disability, medical comorbidities, as well as subsequent mortality.

Sleep quality among industrial workers: related factors and impact

“…Additionally, the majority of participants in our study were non-smokers and were physically active and within the recommended range for their ideal body weights [26]. Our findings that alcohol consumption increases the risk of poor sleep quality concur with previous reports [8]. In this study, we did not assess quantity of alcohol consumed per day; however, others have reported sleep quality is compromised with increased alcohol consumption [27].…”

“…Sleep quality is influenced by an array of factors ranging from demographic characteristics, to personal life style choices to type of work and condition of work environment [8]. Advanced age, unmarried status, smoking habit and alcohol consumption have been reported to compromise quality of sleep [8][9][10][11].…”

“…Sleep quality is influenced by an array of factors ranging from demographic characteristics, to personal life style choices to type of work and condition of work environment [8]. Advanced age, unmarried status, smoking habit and alcohol consumption have been reported to compromise quality of sleep [8][9][10][11]. Among the workforce, work-related physical fatigue and rotating shift work and personal coping capacity have been reported to influence the quality of sleep [9,[11][12][13].…”

Blue-collar work and women's health: A systematic review of the evidence from 1990 to 2015

“… Newly hired workers at one of three cotton mills close to Istanbul, Turkey. Upper-Middle-Income ( Bakirci et al, 2007 ) Longitudinal Occupational class Asthma Blue-collar women vs. other women Compared with female administrators, managers, and clerical workers, the risk of asthma was increased among all blue-collar women (RR = 1.4, 95% CI 1.2–1.6), female woodworkers (RR = 1.5, 95% CI 1.2–1.7), and other blue-collar women (RR = 1.4, 95% CI 1.2–1.6). All residents of Finland employed in wood-processing industries.…”

“…Studies on musculoskeletal disorders consistently showed increased risk for pain and work-related injuries in blue-collar women as compared with men ( Chin et al, 2012 , Carlsson and Karlsson, 1970 , Centre for Social Development et al, 2018 , Chenet et al, 1998 , Case and Paxson, 2005 , Catalano and Bruckner, 2006 , Chin et al, 2012 , Cantley et al, 2016 ). Similarly, blue-collar women exhibited inferior respiratory health compared with blue-collar men based on results from pulmonary function tests and airway responsiveness ( Choi et al, 2013 , Chin et al, 2013 , Cho and Lee, 2012 , Christensen et al, 2008 ). Comparisons of smoking frequency in male and female blue-collar workers, however, yielded inconsistent findings ( Cocco et al, 1999 , Cohidon et al, 2009 , Colt et al, 2011 , Cleland et al, 2011 , Clougherty et al, 2010 , Clougherty et al, 2011 , Cobankara et al, 2011 ).…”