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. 2016 Jun;58(6):601-9.
doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000709.

Implementing a Sleep Health Education and Sleep Disorders Screening Program in Fire Departments: A Comparison of Methodology

Laura K Barger  1 , Conor S O'Brien, Shantha M W Rajaratnam, Salim Qadri, Jason P Sullivan, Wei Wang, Charles A Czeisler, Steven W Lockley
Affiliations

Implementing a Sleep Health Education and Sleep Disorders Screening Program in Fire Departments: A Comparison of Methodology

Laura K Barger et al. J Occup Environ Med. 2016 Jun.

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study is to compare three methods of administering a sleep health program (SHP) in fire departments.

Methods: An SHP, comprising sleep health education and screening for common sleep disorders, was implemented in eight fire departments using three approaches: expert-led, train-the-trainer, and online. Participation rates, knowledge assessments, surveys, and focus group interviews were analyzed to assess the reach and effectiveness of the methodologies.

Results: The Expert-led SHP had the highest participation rate, greatest improvement in knowledge scores, and prompted more firefighters to seek clinical sleep disorder evaluations (41%) than the other approaches (20 to 25%). Forty-two percent of focus group participants reported changing their sleep behaviors.

Conclusion: All approaches yielded reasonable participation rates, but expert-led programs had the greatest reach and effectiveness in educating and screening firefighters for sleep disorders.

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Conflict of interest statement

Mr. O’Brien reports no conflicts.

Mr Sullivan, Mr Qadri, Dr Wang report no conflicts.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Focus group participants reported, in an anonymous survey, the effects of the fatigue risk management program and specific behavioral changes. There was no difference among groups in the percentage of firefighters reporting behavior change.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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