Citation

Patterson PD, Buysse DJ, Weaver MD, Doman JM, Moore CG, Suffoletto BP, McManigle KL, Callaway CW, Yealy DM. Am. J. Ind. Med. 2015; 58(10): 1098-1113.

Affiliation

Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicines, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/ajim.22503

PMID

26305869

Abstract

BACKGROUND: We assessed performance characteristics and impact of a mobile phone text-message intervention for reducing intra-shift fatigue among emergency clinician shift workers.

METHODS: We used a randomized controlled trial of 100 participants. All participants received text-message assessments at the start, every 4 hr during, and at end of scheduled shifts over a 90-day period. Text-message queries measured self-rated sleepiness, fatigue, and difficulty with concentration. Additional text-messages were sent to intervention participants to promote alertness. A performance measure of interest was compliance with answering text-messages.

RESULTS: Ninety-nine participants documented 2,621 shifts and responded to 36,073 of 40,947 text-messages (88% compliance rate). Intervention participants reported lower mean fatigue and sleepiness at 4 hr, 8 hr, and at the end of 12 hr shifts compared to controls (P < 0.05). Intervention participants reported better sleep quality at 90-days compared to baseline (P = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: We showed feasibility and short-term efficacy of a text-message based assessment and intervention tool. Am. J. Ind. Med. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Language: en