Perceived Health as a Robust Correlate of Perceived Sleepiness in an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Sample

Abstract

To the author's knowledge, this is the first study to longitudinally explore the impact of perceived health on the perceived sleepiness of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel. A repeat-respondent complete data sample of 215 U.S. EMS personnel was used. This sample was found to be representative of a much larger incomplete data group. After controlling for prior sleepiness, study results suggest a small but robust effect for health on sleepiness, that is, better perceived health leads to less sleepiness. Study limitations are acknowledged to help in future research. It is hoped that this study stimulates additional international research investigating variables affecting sleeping-related issues for EMS workers.

KEYWORDS:

• emergency medical services
• perceived health
• sleepiness

A partnership with the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) and the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) funded this data collection effort. The author gratefully acknowledges being able to use this data.

Notes

^a For 2005, 1,911/9,241 (21%) filled out the Longitudinal Emergency Medical Technician Attributes and Demographic Study survey, for 2006 it was 1,594/9241 (15%), for 2007 it was 1,370/9,241 (15%), and for 2008 it was 1,670/9,241 (18%).

Note. N = 215.

^a Time to fall asleep: 1 = 0–5 minutes, 2 = 6–30 minutes, 3 = 31–60 minutes, 4 = more than 60 minutes.

^b Sleepiness measured in 2005 and 2008: 1 = no chance, 2 = slight chance, 3 = moderate chance, and 4 = high chance.

^c Perceived health, measured in 2006, 2007, and 2008, 1 = poor, 2 = fair, 3 = good, 4 = excellent.

^d Average hours worked/week: 1 = less than 9, 2 = 9 to 16, 3 = 17 to 40, 4 = 41 to 60, and 5 = more than 60.

^e Shift length: 1 = 8 hours, 2 = 10 hours, 3 = 12 hours, 4 = 24 hours.

^f Reliability estimate in parenthesis.

*p < .05 (two-tailed), r > 0.13; **p < .01 (two-tailed), r > 0.17.

Note. Regression coefficients b, are unstandardized regression weights; SE = standard error.

*p < .05 (two-tailed); **p < .01 (two-tailed).

Note. N = 554.

**p < .01 (two-tailed).