Introduction: Sleep deprivation is a severe health issue for health-care personnel, especially
during the COVID-19 pandemic. It affects their physical, emotional, psychological
well-being, as well as their work performance. Aim of Work: To measure the
percentage of poor sleep among physicians during COVID-19 pandemic, to identify its
risk factors and to determine the association between it and the occurrence of medical
errors. Materials and Methods: Cross sectional study was conducted among physicians
working at different hospitals and medical centers in Cairo, Egypt. A total of 260
physicians were included in the study through sending online self-administered questionnaire.
The questionnaire including items about sociodemographic, work related
characteristics, COVID 19 associated risks, items assessed the sleep quality through
using validated Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and assessment of medical errors
related to COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Most of the participants (65.4%) were
females, 79.2% were married, 76.9% had children and 93.5% don't live alone. The
mean age was 36.23±5.7. As regard work-related characteristics, 45.6% of participants
worked equal or more than 48 hours weekly, 38.8% had night shifts and 66.5% had
equal or more than 10 years' experience. Only (26.2%) are working in COVID-19 isolation
hospitals. The percentage of poor sleep quality among physicians was 79.6%. The
global PSQI mean score was 7.54 ± 3.5 while the worst components' mean scores were
the sleep latency, sleep duration and sleep disturbance scores (1.59 ± 1.02, 1.41 ± 0.87
and 1.29 ± 0.6 respectively). Poor sleep quality was associated with having chronic diseases,
being night shifters, working equal to or more than 48 hours weekly, satisfaction
with the availability of personal protective equipments (PPEs), and with COVID-19
management protocols. Medical errors were performed by 30.4% of the studied physicians.
There was a significant association between poor sleep quality and giving the
patients incorrect doses or overdose. Conclusion: There was a high percentage of poor
sleep among the studied physicians. Having chronic diseases, working equal to or more
than 48 hours weekly, and having night shifts were identified as significant predictors
of poor sleep quality among them.