Psychosocial Aspects at work and the Quality of Sleep of Professors in Higher Education

Abstract

The present study aims to investigate the association between psychosocial aspects at work and the quality of sleep of professors in a public university in Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted, with descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analysis, including a random sample of 423 professors. The psychosocial aspects work aspects were associated to a perception of poor sleep quality. In analysis of effect modifiers, the variable “practice of physical activity” modified the main association under test. Among professors that did not practice physical activity, the following variables kept statistically associated to the perception of poor sleep quality: having children (PR = 1.33, CI 95% 1.02–1.74), poor self-rated health (PR = 1.49; CI 95% 1.24–1.79) and quality of life self-evaluation (PR = 1.60, CI 95% 1.45–2.00), insufficient time for regular leisure activities (PR = 1.52, CI 95% 1.23–1.86) and high psychological demand (PR = 1.40, CI 95% 1.14–1.72). In final analysis, high strain and passive work were experiences associated to the perception of a poor sleep quality among professors that did not practice physical activity. The results confirmed that the adverse psychosocial aspects at work are associated to negative impacts on the professor’s quality of sleep.

Keywords:

• worker health
• sleep
• professors
• higher education

Acknowledgments

The authors thank: the State University of Feira de Santana (UEFS), to the Post-Graduation Program in Collective Health (PPGSC) of UEFS, to the entire study team of the Epidemiology Center (NEPI) of UEFS, the professors who participated in the study, for providing important information to the execution of the research, the Bahia State Research Support Foundation (FAPESB), and the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) for the funding of the research and for granting Academic Master’s scholarship during the research development.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The study was funded by the Bahia State Research Support Foundation (FAPESB) and the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES). Support to the construction of the database, analysis and processing of data, as well as for the translation of this study was conducted by the Epidemiology Center (NEPI) of the State University of Feira de Santana.