Abstract
INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 infections had a variety of symptoms, including a range of sleep disorders such as insomnia. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of insomnia among healthcare workers (HCWs) following COVID-19 infection and to identify factors associated with its persistence over time. METHODS: This prospective descriptive study was conducted at Charles-Nicolle Hospital in Tunis, monitoring HCWs infected with COVID-19 over a six-month period (January-July 2022). Insomnia severity was evaluated at infection onset (T0), at three months, and at six months post-infection, using the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) in its French version. The presence of anxiety and depression was assessed via the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) to determine potential associations. RESULTS: The study included 155 healthcare workers, with an average age of 40.2 ± 10.3 years and an average work tenure of 14,1 ± 10 years. At baseline (J0), 42.5% of participants reported no insomnia, 21.3% had mild sub-clinical insomnia, 31% had moderate clinical insomnia, and 5.2% experienced severe clinical insomnia. At three months, the rates shifted, with 11.6% reporting no insomnia, 35.5% experiencing mild sub-clinical insomnia, and 7.1% having moderate clinical insomnia. By six months, 7.7% had no insomnia, 6.5% reported mild sub-clinical insomnia, and 3.9% continued to experience moderate clinical insomnia. Factors significantly associated with insomnia included a history of discopathy (p < 10⁻³), hospitalization (p < 10⁻³), and the death of a close relative due to COVID-19 (p = 0.012). Additionally, significant associations were found between persistent insomnia and anxiety and/or depression (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Persistent insomnia post-COVID-19 infection in HCWs underscores the importance of integrating mental health and sleep quality interventions into healthcare protocols to improve overall well-being and aid in their professional recovery. DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST: None Declared