Association of excessive daytime sleepiness with anxiety, depressive symptoms, and quality of work life among maternal and child health nurses

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is associated with daytime dysfunction, impaired attention, longer reaction times, and other related issues, which may adversely affect the well-being and job performance of maternal and child health (MCH) nurses. However, the state of EDS among MCH nurses in China remains unclear, and few studies have focused on its associations with mental well-being and quality of work life (QWL). This study aims to investigate the prevalence of EDS among MCH nurses in China and explore its relationships with mental health (anxiety, depressive symptoms), and QWL. A multicenter cross-sectional study included 1426 MCH nurses selected from four hospitals in China. PSM was used to minimize the impact of potential confounders between the EDS and non-EDS groups. After PSM, binary logistic regression and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations of EDS with MCH nurses' mental health and QWL, respectively. The results showed that 24.2% of MCH nurses experienced EDS. Additionally, EDS was positively associated with symptoms of anxiety (OR = 1.548, 95% CI: 1.115-2.151) and depression (OR = 1.814, 95% CI: 1.311-2.512), while being negatively associated with the QWL of MCH nurses (β = - 0.114, P = 0.002). To improve the mental health and QWL of MCH nurses, it is crucial to adjust work schedules and reduce drowsiness, which plays a vital role in stabilizing the nursing workforce and enhancing patient care.