Association between working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic and sleep and stress among Colombian healthcare workers

Introduction
Although COVID-19 is no longer a public health emergency, its mental health effects on healthcare workers persist.

Aim
This study investigated the relationship between working conditions, sleep, and stress among Colombian hospital healthcare personnel during the pandemic.

Methods
In this cross-sectional study, 79 healthcare workers completed questionnaires on working conditions, stress, and sleep. Sleep duration was measured with Fitbit Armbands. Associations were analyzed using Generalized Linear Models with Gamma and ordinal distributions.

Results
Approximately 79% of participants reported high to very high stress levels (61% “very high,” 18% “high”). Sleep complications were minimal, averaging 6.2 hours. Nurses showed significantly higher stress and longer sleep duration than administrative workers. Overtime correlated with less sleep, while workers who had COVID-19 reported lower stress.

Conclusion
The study highlights connections between stress, sleep, and working conditions, suggesting targeted health promotion programs could enhance work-life balance.