Health Professionals’ Chronotype Association with Salivary Cortisol and Occupational Stress in Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Abstract

Burnout syndrome has been reported among health workers, particularly those working in critical areas, and is considered a significant public health problem. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between chronotype and work-related stress, as measured by salivary cortisol levels and burnout, among health professionals working in neonatal intensive care units. A cross-sectional study was conducted across four public hospitals in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Two hundred and fifty-six health professionals were administered the brazilian version of the Burnout Characterization Scale, the morningness–eveningness questionnaire, for chronotype, a sociodemographic questionnaire that included lifestyle habits and a salivary cortisol test. The results indicated that morning chronotype workers were significantly associated with the following: advanced age (p < 0.001), female gender (p = 0.032), married status (p = 0.014), and having children (p = 0.030) compared to those with evening and intermediate chronotypes. However, no significant association was found between signs of burnout syndrome and chronotype (p = 0.316). Participants whose work shift did not match their chronotype had significantly higher initial salivary cortisol levels (p = 0.013). The findings suggest that adapting working hours to an individual’s biological rhythm can help mitigate potential negative effects on physical and mental health. Thus, it is recommended that professionals’ working hours be adjusted accordingly.

Excessive Noise in Neonatal Units and the Occupational Stress Experienced by Healthcare Professionals: An Assessment of Burnout and Measurement of Cortisol Levels

“…The present study found a significant and positive association between the perception of "excessive noise" and the perception of a "stressful shift," indicating that noise could be a relevant factor in increasing stress among health professionals. All health professionals in our study reported positive criteria for the development of Burnout Syndrome, which may be attributed to the effects of noise and its potential association with certain sample characteristics also reported in other studies [18,[58][59][60]. The sample consisted predominantly of female professionals with dependent children [18,[58][59][60].…”

“…All health professionals in our study reported positive criteria for the development of Burnout Syndrome, which may be attributed to the effects of noise and its potential association with certain sample characteristics also reported in other studies [18,[58][59][60]. The sample consisted predominantly of female professionals with dependent children [18,[58][59][60]. Another point to highlight is that the majority of participants had less than 5 years of experience in their respective roles, indicating that they were young professionals in the field.…”