Sleep quality: a critical determinant of perceived quality of life in the administrative-technical workers of an Italian university

M. Stendardo, E. Maietti, E. Masotti, E. Bianchi, R. Manfredini, P. Boschetto

Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy. bsp@unife.it

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• Pharmacology

OBJECTIVE: This observational study aims to analyze the quality of life of the administrative/technical employees of the University of Ferrara and its relationship with sleep quality, chronotype, and family components.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: We invited all employees (528) to fill a data collection form (age, gender, education level, number of family components, being caregiver and job-related factors) and 3 anonymous questionnaires (VR-12 Health-Related Quality of Life, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire).

RESULTS: Out of 323 respondents, 72.5% were female, 76.4% had an age between 41-60 years old, 63.8% had a university degree, and 67.5% an administrative profile. Considering family-related characteristics: 81.1% of respondents lived with ≥2 people, 35.3% had children, and 31.9% declared to be caregiver of a family member, not necessarily co-housing. Most of the employees resulted to be Morning-type (48.6%) and Intermediate-type (46.8%), with a very limited group of Evening-types (4.6%). Quality of sleep resulted to be the main factor affecting the health-related quality of life. Near half of our sample had poor sleep quality (49.2%; 95% CI: 43.6-54.8%). PSQI score resulted significantly higher for people who were caregivers of a familiar (7.0 ± 3.6 vs. 6.1 ± 3.6, p=0.022). Family size and being caregiver of a familiar resulted in significant factors for sleep quality, and indirectly for health-related quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS: The quality of sleep is the most influencing parameter of the workers’ quality of life. Family size and being caregiver of a family member indirectly affect the quality of life by influencing sleep quality. Appropriate consideration and management of these aspects in the working context could improve workers’ well-being.

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