Covid-19 pandemic presents important risk factor for sleep disorders and other psychological diseases, which is especially present among healthcare workers. During crisis management physicians are faced with situations that require optimal psychological functioning, however additional workload, reduced safety at work and exposure to risk can negatively impact sleep, which plays an important role in maintaining physicians’ optimal levels of resilience, cognitive and emotional self-regulation. Aim of our study, was to gain an insight into epidemiological state of sleep among physicians, during the first month of Covid-19 epidemic, the effects of work factors on sleep and the consequences this can have on physicians’ work, medical errors and compromised safety. Our study included a large sample of 1189 physicians and dentists of all specialisations and working in all Slovenian regions. For the purposes of our study Sleep and Psychological Functioning at Work Scale was tested and developed. Respondents answered questions related to Covid-19, demographic and work characteristics. 29 % of respondents slept less than 6 h per night on workdays, with average duration of sleep during nightshifts lasting a bit less than 4 h. Perceived work safety reduced anxiety for Covid-19 infection, which negatively impacted sleep. Work over-hours, nightshifts and working at Covid-19 entry point had negative effects on sleep quantity, the effects of which were greater for physicians that were working at Covid-19 entry points. Sleep played a preventative role during Covid-19 epidemic, which by reducing negative psychological functioning at work indirectly reduced the likelihood of medical errors and compromised safety. Based on our results, we provided recommendations to ensure adequate response of healthcare systems during Covid-19 epidemic.
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