SynthesisJournal of global health2022
Prevalence of sleep disorders among first responders for medical emergencies: A meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Journal of global health, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The trial behind it
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 23 citations in OpenAlex.
- Exploring the experiences, views, and needs of family members of emergency response workers: a systematic review and meta-synthesis.European journal of psychotraumatology · 2026Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Occupation-Induced Fatigue and Impacts on Emergency First Responders: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Pooled it
- Supporting paramedic sleep and fatigue: a qualitative exploration of education considerations from the early-career paramedic perspective.BMC health services research · 2026Article
- Occupational burnout and depression among emergency medical service providers in Switzerland and Liechtenstein: a cross-sectional nationwide web-based study.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Sleep and Substance Use Among Firefighters: Associations with Alcohol, Caffeine, and Nicotine Use.Nature and science of sleep · 2026Article
- Evaluating the Insomnia Severity Index among South African first responders: evidence from classical test theory, Rasch, and Mokken analyses.Frontiers in sleep · 2025Article
- Sleep disorder risk, perceived control over sleep, and mental health symptoms in paramedicine students.Industrial health · 2024Article
- Observational
- Sleep Differences in Firefighters: Barracks vs. Home.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- The Effect of Shift Work on Sleep Patterns of Paramedics in Saudi Arabia.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2024Article
- The relationship between sleep disturbances and post-traumatic stress disorder symptomatology in university students.European journal of psychotraumatology · 2024Article
- Sleep Habits and Disturbances Among Tunisian Adults: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey.Nature and science of sleep · 2024Article
- Sleep and cardiovascular disease.Emerging topics in life sciences · 2023Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Shift work and irregular work schedules among first responders have been associated with physical and psychological problems such as sleep disorders. We conducted the first meta-analysis to explore and estimate the prevalence of sleep disorders among first responders for medical emergencies. Methods: We searched four databases: Web of Science, Psych Info, CINAHL, and PubMed. The Generalized Linear Mixed model (GLMM) was used to estimate the prevalence estimates of sleep disorders in R software and the DerSimonian-Lard random-effects model in Comprehensive Meta-Analysis was used to explore associated comorbidities for OSA and insomnia, presented as odds ratios (ORs) and confidence intervals (CIs). The Cochran's Q, τ Results: Twenty-eight studies with 100 080 first responders were included from the total of 1119 studies retrieved from the databases. The prevalence rates for sleep disorders were 31% (95% CI = 15%-53%) for shift work disorder (SWD), 30% (95% CI = 18%-46%) for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), 28% (95% CI = 19%-39%) for insomnia, 28% (95% CI = 24%-33%) for excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), 2% (95% CI = 1%-4%) for restless leg syndrome, and 1% (95% CI = 0%-5%) for narcolepsy. Anxiety (OR = 2.46; 95% CI = 1.99%-3.03%), cardiovascular disease (CVD) (OR = 2.03; 95% CI = 1.43-2.88), diabetes mellitus (DM) (OR = 1.93; 95% CI = 1.41-2.65), depression (OR = 1.89; 95% CI = 1.01-3.56), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (OR = 1.83; 95% CI = 150-2.22), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (OR = 1.78; 95% CI = 1.33-2.39) were associated with OSA. Depression (OR = 9.74; 95% CI = 4.67-20.3), anxiety (OR = 9.22; 95% CI = 3.81-22.3), and PTSD (OR = 7.13; 95% CI = 6.27-8.10) were associated with insomnia. Age, gender, first responders, continent, study quality, study design, and assessment tool were significant moderator variables for OSA, insomnia, and EDS. Conclusions: This meta-analysis found a substantially high prevalence of sleep disorders including SWD, OSA, insomnia, and EDS among first responders for medical emergencies. Early assessment and management of sleep disorders among first responders is necessary to promote good, quality sleep to help prevent anxiety, depression, CVD, DM, GERD, and PTSD.
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