Research
The Sleep and Occupational Health Group conducts research in 3 key areas:
- the acute impact of shift work and related sleep problems on stress, performance, and decision-making in occupational settings,
- the impact of sleep disturbances and other workplace stressors on mental health and wellbeing in shift workers, and
- interventions addressing adverse health outcomes in high-risk occupations.
Our research is underpinned by strong and ongoing partnerships with industry, and we currently work with a range of industry groups including emergency services and heavy vehicle drivers. By understanding and counteracting the impact of poor sleep and other stressors in the workplace, our research aims to enhance health and wellbeing in occupational settings.
Areas of research/projects
Acute impact of occupational demands on stress and performance in emergency personnel and other high-risk occupations.
This area uses simulated work environments to examine how shift work and sleep loss influence work performance, decision making and stress responses. Activities related to this area include:
Project ASAP (Assessing the impact of Shift work in Australian Paramedics).
Shift work is known to lead to sleep loss, which in turn impacts an individual’s performance, decision making ability and physiology. Despite this, little is known about how shift work impacts paramedics and their work. This study uses a simulated shift rotation to determine the impact of shift work, and the resultant sleep loss on paramedics and their work performance. Participants complete a series of scenarios and cognitive tasks over a shift work rotation to measure how performance and physiology change as the rotation progresses.
Website: https://sites.google.com/monash.edu/projectasap/home
Long-term impact of sleep disturbances and other demands on health and wellbeing in high-risk occupations.
This area aims to identify and understand aspects of sleep and work which contribute to adverse health outcomes in emergency personnel and other high-risk occupations. Activities related to this area include:
Project ADAPT (ADaptive Attributes in Police shift work Tolerance).
Shift work tolerance is a term used to describe not experiencing the negative health and wellbeing outcomes (e.g., depression, anxiety, insomnia, shift work disorder) often associated with shift work. Currently, it is unclear which factors promote shift work tolerance in new emergency personnel, who often experience high levels of stress and sleep problems. This study aims to examine protective factors in new police officers during their early career. In this longitudinal study, we measure resilience, social support, sleep-related traits (e.g., morningness, circadian flexibility), mental health, physical health, and sleep. New police officers are tracked every 6 months starting during their academy training until 24 months of active duty. This project is conducted in collaboration with industry.
Project SHAPES (Sleep and Health in Ambulance Paramedic Employees and Students).
The number of emergency personnel reporting sleep problems is high (due to shift work, stress, etc.), so too is the proportion who report mental health conditions. This study examines the role of sleep disturbances in the development of mental health outcomes in emergency personnel. In this longitudinal project, we measure sleep, mental health, and stress in recruit paramedics, prior to them experiencing any emergency work. We then conduct follow up assessments in these personnel at regular intervals across their first 18 months of active duty as a paramedic. This project is conducted in collaboration with industry and the Paramedic Health and Wellbeing Research Unit (PHAWRU).
Evaluation of shift work disorder and associated factors.
Shift work disorder is a circadian rhythm disorder associated with working a shift schedule and it comprises symptoms of insomnia and excessive sleepiness. Often shift work disorder leads to poor health outcomes, including depression and physical health complaints. This online cross-sectional study investigates a sample of shift workers from the United States and United Kingdom who work shift work in a variety of industries (e.g., retail, healthcare etc.). The study aims to investigate mental health, physical health, and sleep problems associated with shift work disorder. Additionally, this study investigates safety outcomes like work accidents and motor vehicle crashes, and explores factors associated with reduced shift work disorder risk.
Interventions addressing poor health in emergency personnel and other high-risk occupations.
This area examines interventions addressing poor mental health in emergency personnel. Activities related to this area include:
Supporting Couples: Improving PTSD symptoms, relationship satisfaction, and caregiver burden.
This project trials a couples-based intervention for PTSD. Partners and spouses of First Responders with PTSD play a critical role in facilitating help-seeking and PTSD treatment outcomes. However, many report experiencing greater caregiver burden and stress, lower relationship satisfaction, and their own pressing need for help and support. To address this need, and for the first time in Australia, we will examine the effectiveness and feasibility of a new online, guided self-help intervention for first responder couples seeking to improve PTSD symptoms, reduce caregiver burden and enhance their relationship. Insights from the study will extend the literature, particularly regarding supporting partners, and may inform policy decisions regarding treatment for people experiencing PTSD and their partners.
Peer Support and Pastoral Care Programs Evaluation.
High levels of social support are shown to reduce the risk of mental health conditions in the workplace. This has informed development of formal peer-support services, where organisations train employees to provide mental health support to their colleagues. Such programs are being increasingly used in high-risk occupations, such as paramedics, who are frequently exposed to stressful events in the workplace. Due to the early stages of research in this area, however, there is limited understanding of the effectiveness of workplace peer and pastoral care programs, and whether they meet the needs of their target audience. There is also little research on the impacts on those who provide peer support services. This project contributes new insights into the impact of peer and pastoral care programs on mental health and wellbeing of emergency personnel.