Mediating effect of sleep quality on occupational stress and health-related productivity loss in programmers of an Internet enterprise in Shanghai

Objective To explore the effect of occupational stress on sleep quality and health-related productivity loss， and the mediating effect of sleep quality on occupational stress and health-related productivity loss in programmers of an Internet enterprise， in order to suggest intervention strategies for reducing health-related productivity loss.

Methods In April 2021， a cross-sectional survey on occupational stress， sleep quality and health-related productivity was carried out among programmers in an Internet enterprise in Shanghai， with a work content questionnaire， a Pittsburgh sleep quality index questionnaire， and a work productivity and impaired activity questionnaire. Complete questionnaires were obtained from 251 individuals （response rate： 89.6%）. Multiple regression analysis was used to explore the effects of occupational stress and sleep quality on health-related productivity loss of programmers in the Internet enterprise， and the mediating effect of sleep quality on occupational stress and health-related productivity loss was tested by mediating effect analysis.

Results Occupational stress and sleep quality were important influencing factors of health-related productivity loss， a significant positive correlation was observed （P<0.01）， and occupational stress was positively correlated with sleep quality problems （P<0.01）. Sleep quality had a positive mediating effect on occupational stress and health-related productivity loss. The mediating effect on the occupational stress and reduced work efficiency， invalid working hours， sickness absenteeism， and total health-related productivity loss was 11.97%， 10.14%， 34.60% and 12.52%， respectively.

Conclusion There is a close correlation between occupational stress， sleep quality and health-related productivity of programmers in the Internet enterprise， and sleep quality plays a partial mediating role between occupational stress and health-related productivity. A series of sleep quality improvement plans should be designed to reduce the impact of occupational stress on the loss of health-related productivity， and to improve health-related productivity in Internet enterprises.