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Meta-Analysis
. 2021 Oct:149:110597.
doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110597. Epub 2021 Aug 8.

The prevalence of insomnia among health care workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic: An umbrella review of meta-analyses

Ali Sahebi  1 , Kamel Abdi  2 , Siamak Moayedi  3 , Mercedes Torres  3 , Mohamad Golitaleb  4
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

The prevalence of insomnia among health care workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic: An umbrella review of meta-analyses

Ali Sahebi et al. J Psychosom Res. 2021 Oct.

Abstract

Background: Health care workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic experience numerous psychological problems, including stress and anxiety. These entities can affect their sleep quality and predispose them to insomnia. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of insomnia among HCWs during the COVID-19 crisis via an umbrella review.

Methods: The PRISMA guideline was used to conduct this review. By searching relevant keywords in databases of Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, studies that reported the prevalence of insomnia among HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic (January 2020 to the end of January 2021) and had been published in English were identified and evaluated. The random effects model was used for meta-analysis, and the I2 index was used to assess heterogeneity. The Egger test was used to determine publication bias. Based on the results of the primary search, 96 studies were identified, and ultimately 10 eligible studies entered the meta-analysis phase.

Results: The results of the umbrella review of meta-analyses showed that the prevalence of insomnia among HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic was 36.36% (95% CI: 33.36-39.36, I2 = 59.6%, p = 0.006).

Conclusions: The results of this umbrella review of meta-analyses showed a relatively high prevalence of insomnia among HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. As insomnia can be associated with other psychological problems, policymakers and health managers should regularly screen HCWs for psychological disorders as well as a possible tendency for suicide. Furthermore, by treating insomnia, one can reduce the incidence of these psychological disorders.

Keywords: COVID-19; Health care workers; Insomnia; Mental health; Sleep disorder.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flowchart of the selection of studies based on PRISM.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The forest plot of overall and individual prevalence of insomnia in the Included studies with 95% confidence interval.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Publication bias based on Egger Test.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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