EVALUATION OF SLEEP/WAKE CYCLE AND SLEEP DISORDERS KNOWLEDGE AND APPLICATION OF THIS KNOWLEDGE IN THE WORKCONTEXT BY PRIMARY HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
Circadian Rhythm, Sleep-Wake Cycle Disorders, Sleep Deprivation, Comprehensive Health Care, Continuing Education.
Introduction: Problems with the sleep/wake cycle and disorders resulting from sleep are considered public health problems. However, there is little in the scientific literature what health professionals in the context of PHC in Brazil know about sleep problems and disorders. Objective: To evaluate knowledge about the sleep/wake cycle and sleep disorders and application of this knowledge in the field of work among primary health care professionals in the context of the 5th Regional Public Health Unit (URSAP). Methods: Mixed method, exploratory-descriptive work developed in municipalities of the 5th URSAP. 93 professionals participated in the research, with 86 for the quantitative part and 16 for the qualitative part. Data were collected from a semi-structured form divided into 2 modules: “Personal data” and “Knowledge about Sleep”, which includes part of the Health and Sleep questionnaire, and the Assessment of Sleep Knowledge in Medical Education (ASKME), in addition to open questions about the use of knowledge about sleep in professional practice and the work environment. Results: 86 professionals had higher education and 7 had secondary or technical education, focusing on the age group of 30 to 39 years old (50%), female (73.3%). Working time had an average of 3.7 (sd = 4.4), and the level of knowledge about sleep 5.7 (sd = 1.9). Regarding the source of obtaining information about sleep, participants reported looking more through digital media (60.5%). When asked if they knew about sleep hygiene, 36% of participants responded “more or less”. Knowledge about sleep hygiene was most used for routine life (80.2%). Professionals question patients about sleep duration and quality; daytime drowsiness (47.7%); sleeping and waking times and habits performed before bed, 65.1% and 61.6%, respectively, and sleep disorders (58.1%). Furthermore, 74% of participants reported not knowing the guidelines that the Ministry of Health's PHC notebooks provide regarding the importance of questioning patients about sleep. Regarding the categories of the “Health and sleep” questionnaire, overall, they obtained 70% correct answers. ASKME obtained a correct answer frequency of 46.5% in relation to the total questionnaire. As for qualitative data, the analysis showed that the word “sleep” was the one that appeared most prominently in both tests, which was accompanied by the words “sleep”, “patient”, “ask” and “action”. In the similarity analysis, “sleep” has three strongest branches that form three nuclei. Discussion: In general, professionals have some knowledge about sleep, and most question users about sleep problems and disorders in their work routine. However, little in-depth and outdated guidelines were perceived regarding the amount of sleep needed, and even lack of knowledge about basic aspects of sleep, such as sleep architecture, sleep hygiene and narcolepsy.