The determinants of sleep quality in the mining industry

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the current state of self-reported sleep quality in workers of the mining industry and identify the factors that affect sleep in this sample. A large-scale questionnaire was administered to 2,224 workers of the mining industry with operations in Ontario. A modified version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (mPSQI) was used to determine sleep quality and quantity. A total of 84% of participants self-reported poor sleep quality with an average mPSQI score of 6.43 (± 3.07). The average sleep duration of participants was 6hr:05min (± 1hr:03min), which is lower than the recommended 7-8 hrs of sleep. Participants engaging in hazardous drug and alcohol use, screening positive for mental health concerns, stress and fatigue, experiencing workplace burnout and working shifts, self-reported worst sleep quality. Finally, depression, personal burnout, fatigue, PTSD, shift work, diagnosis of a chronic disease and hazardous drug use were significant predictors of poor subjective sleep quality, accounting for 37.1% of the total variance of sleep quality (R²= 0.371, F(7, 1572) = 131.78, p ≤ 0.000). These data will assist in developing targeted strategies and interventions for workers to achieve better sleep quality, overall well being and a safer workplace.