Job Stress and Sleep Disturbances Among Career Firefighters in Northern California

Abstract

Object: This study examined the association between job stress and sleep disturbance among career firefighters.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted with 154 career firefighters working in Northern California, US job stress was measured using the short form of the Effort-Reward Imbalance questionnaire and sleep was measured with the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Sleep Disturbance.

Results: Approximately 75% experienced sleep disturbance. For firefighters' job stress, high effort (odds ratio [OR] = 3.68; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.25-10.80), high effort-reward ratio (OR = 3.55; 95% CI: 1.23-10.23), and high overcommitment (OR = 9.09; 95% CI: 2.30-35.85) were significantly associated with increased likelihood of sleep disturbance, after adjustment for other factors.

Conclusions: Job stress significantly affected firefighters' sleep health, suggesting the need to design effective health promotion interventions to reduce job stress and improve sleep quality for these public service workers.