ArticleBMC health services research2022
Perceived stigma, substance use and self-medication in night-shift healthcare workers: a qualitative study.
Article in BMC health services research, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 22 citations in OpenAlex.
- Portrayals of alcohol use disorder treatment outcomes and their effects on stigma: Population-based, randomized survey experiment in rural Uganda.Drug and alcohol dependence · 2025Trial
- Shift Work and Psychological Distress Among Healthcare Workers: The Mediating Role of Sleep Quality and the Association with Job Dissatisfaction.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- [Psychometric properties of a direct violence scale and its behavioral mediation].Revista medica del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social · 2026Observational
- Night shift work exposure shapes neurobehavioral and cardiometabolic profiles in female healthcare workers: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Moderating effect of resilience on the associations of perceived stress and anxiety with unhealthy alcohol use and insomnia in Chinese hospital staff.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Relationship Between Sleep Duration and Psychosocial Well-Being in Healthcare Personnel: Identification of Predictors and Vulnerability Patterns.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Night shift and occupational fatigue among nurses who work 12 hours in Jeddah.Journal of education and health promotion · 2025Review
- Sex- and Substance-Specific Associations of Circadian-Related Genes with Addiction in the UK Biobank Cohort Implicate Neuroplasticity Pathways.Brain sciences · 2024Article
- Disrupted Circadian Rhythms and Substance Use Disorders: A Narrative Review.Clocks & sleep · 2024Review
- Workplace access, burnout, and prescription drug misuse among Korean hospital nurses: a cross-sectional study.BMC nursing · 2024Article
- Article
- Negative representations of night-shift work and mental health of public hospital healthcare workers in the COVID-19 era (Aladdin survey).BMC health services research · 2023Observational
- Public stigma and treatment preferences for alcohol use disorders.BMC health services research · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundMany risk factors related to altered circadian rhythms impact the health of night-shift hospital workers (NSHW), resulting in mental and somatic disorders. Easy access to psychoactive substances (PS) may facilitate addictive behaviors in NSHW. They are also exposed to a stressful work environment, which may further affect sleep quality. This study aimed to explore the link between sleep deprivation, work-related psychosocial stress and psychoactive substance use as a self-medication response in NSHW.
methodsQualitative study to verify the plausibility of the self-medication theory applied to addictive behaviors. Semi-structured interviews (N = 18 NSHW) and thematic analysis, following consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research recommendations.
resultsStigma against NSHW was a primary element of a stressful work environment. The stressful and stigmatizing environment, together with night-shift work, further affected NSHW sleep and their mental and physical health. The use of PS appeared to be for self-medication, encouraged by social and professional environments, source(s) of stress, discrimination, and isolation. The work environment, through aggravated sleep disorders, led NSHW to use non-prescribed sleeping pills. Alcohol after work and smoking were used as a social break but also as a means to reduce stress.
conclusionAnti-stigma interventions in the healthcare setting and screening of mental/somatic disorders in NSHW can help reduce harmful self-medication behaviors and improve hospital care in the COVID-19 era.
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