Qualidade do sono, fadiga e qualidade de vida de profissionais da saúde mental na pandemia de Covid-19

Abstract

Introduction: Mental health work is full of challenges. In view of the complexity involved in the work context, professionals are susceptible to physical and biopsychosocial repercussions arising from the work process. Especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, aspects such as sleep, fatigue and quality of life may have been affected. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between sleep quality, fatigue and quality of life of mental health service professionals in the Covid-19 pandemic. Method: This is a cross-sectional and correlational quantitative survey. Participants were health professionals who worked in mental health services at the 4th Regional Health Coordination of Rio Grande do Sul, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Data collection took place from October 2021 to July 2022 in person and online. A socio-occupational and health questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey and the Fatigue Assessment Scale were used for data collection. Descriptive and inferential analysis was performed with the aid of statistical software, considering p<0.05 as statistically significant. Ethical aspects were respected. Results: The study included 141 health professionals who worked in Psychosocial Care Centers and hospitals with Mental Health beds, aged between 19 and 66 years, mean age of 38 years (±10.7), prevalence of weekly workload of up to 40 hours (n=103, 73%) and a median of 4 years of working time. A significant association was identified between poor sleep quality and the variables sick leave in the last 6 months (p=0.023), tired at the end of the working day (p=0.011), health treatment (p=0.012) and high fatigue (p=0.006). High fatigue was associated with feeling often/always tired at the end of the working day (p=0.017). Compromised physical quality of life was significantly related to the lack of leisure activities during the week (p=0.044), and compromising mental quality of life to medication use (p=0.008). There was a correlation between sleep quality and fatigue, and between fatigue and the mental component of quality of life. Conclusion: Working in mental health services predisposes professionals to poor sleep quality, which implies high fatigue. Professionals with worse sleep quality were associated with a higher level of fatigue, and professionals with high fatigue were associated with worse mental quality of life. The prevalence of poor sleep quality, high fatigue and impairment of quality of life in the physical and mental components was identified. Contributions to nursing: The study contributes to the construction of nursing knowledge as it presents current issues regarding work during the Covid-19 pandemic, and allows reflection on aspects inherent to workers' health, especially in the field of mental health.