Nursing

Professional Practice

The Effect of Work Shift and Sleep Duration on Various Aspects of Police Officers’ Health

Sandra L. Ramey, PhD, RN; Yelena Perkhounkova, PhD; Mikyung Moon, PhD, RN; Laura Budde, RN, BSN; Hui-Chen Tseng, MS; M. Kathleen Clark, PhD, RN, ARNP

Abstract

Police officers are prone to cardiovascular disease, overweight, and obesity. Because night-shift work affects sleep, a modifiable risk factor linked to chronic disease, the researchers explored the relationship among shift work, sleep, and wellness for police officers. Sleep, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, stress, fatigue, and body mass index were used to compare officers who worked primarily day shifts to those who worked primarily evening or night shifts, and officers who slept less than 6 hours per day to those who slept at least 6 hours per day. A cross-sectional study of 85 male officers, 20 to 63 years old, was completed at three Midwestern police departments. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to assess sleep. A questionnaire was used to collect officer demographics and work hours. Other measurements included serum CRP, height, weight, perceived stress, and vital exhaustion. The relative risk of sleeping less than 6 hours per day for officers who primarily worked non-day shifts, compared to those who worked day shifts, was 14.27 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.98–102.95, p < .001), and the relative risk of overall poor sleep quality for officers who slept less than 6 hours per day, compared to those who slept more hours, was 2.44 (95% CI, 1.15–5.20, p = .027). CRP was not associated with shift or sleep duration, even when adjusted for officers’ ages.

AUTHORS

Dr. Ramey is Assistant Professor, Dr. Perkhounkova is Statistician, Ms. Tseng is Research Assistant, and Dr. Clark is Professor, The University of Iowa, College of Nursing, Iowa City, IA. Ms. Budde is staff nurse, Mercy Hospital, Iowa City, IA. Dr. Moon is Assistant Professor, College of Nursing, Keimyung University, Daegu, South Korea.

The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise. The study within which the sleep data were collected was funded by the Preventative Research Center of The University of Iowa College of Public Health.

Address correspondence to Sandra L. Ramey, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor, The University of Iowa, College of Nursing, 50 Newton Road, College of Nursing Building, Iowa City, IA 52242. E-mail: sandra-ramey@uiowa.edu

doi: 10.3928/21650799-20120416-22

• Tweet
• Share
• Link
• Email
• Print