Risk factors for work-related fatigue in students with school-year employment

Sociotechnical Work System Approach to Occupational Fatigue

INTRODUCTION TO THE PROBLEM

Occupational fatigue is a characteristic of excessive workload and depicts the limited capacity to complete demands. The impact of occupational fatigue has been studied outside of health care in fields such as transportation and heavy industry. Research in health care professionals such as physicians, medical residents, and nurses has demonstrated the potential for occupational fatigue to affect patient, employee, and organizational outcomes. A conceptual framework of occupational fatigue that is informed by a sociotechnical systems approach is needed to (1) describe the multidimensional facets of occupational fatigue, (2) explore individual and work system factors that may affect occupational fatigue, and (3) anticipate downstream implications of occupational fatigue on employee well-being, patient safety, and organizational outcomes.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF OCCUPATIONAL FATIGUE

The health care professional occupational fatigue conceptual framework is outlined following the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model and adapted from the Conceptual Model of Occupational Fatigue in Nursing. Future research may apply this conceptual framework to health care professionals as a tool to describe occupational fatigue, identify the causes, and generate solutions. Interventions to mitigate and resolve occupational fatigue must address the entire sociotechnical system, not just individual or employee changes.

Work-related fatigue: A hazard for workers experiencing disproportionate occupational risks

BACKGROUND

Long working hours and fatigue are significant occupational safety and health (OSH) hazards for working populations who experience disproportionate risks of injury and illness. These groups include young or new workers, aging workers, contingent and temporary workers, immigrant and nonnative workers, female workers, minority workers, workers with low levels of education and lower socioeconomic status, and small business employees. An increasing focus on newer determinants of health in the workplace, such as health equity and work-life conflict, in worker populations at greater risk for injury or illness, provides an opportunity for researchers to address the causes and consequences of work-related fatigue in high-risk populations.

METHODS

Articles in the OSH literature that addressed fatigue in higher-risk workers were identified by the authors or recommended by subject matter experts in workplace fatigue as part of a Working Hours, Sleep and Fatigue Forum. Additional articles were identified by searching for a combination of specific at-risk worker group titles (e.g., female workers, temporary workers) with fatigue or working hours.

RESULTS

There remains a paucity of research specifically addressing working hours and fatigue among disproportionately at-risk worker populations. The literature reviewed in this paper suggests that several of these populations are at increased risk of fatigue due to multiple factors, such as irregular shifts, lack of access to fatigue management resources, and socioeconomic barriers.

CONCLUSIONS

More research is needed to identify solutions to address fatigue in working populations who may be at greater risk for its consequences by virtue of adverse socioeconomic and related factors. Interventions to address work-related fatigue in specific at-risk worker groups should also consider the multiple and overlapping categories of risk within these populations.

Mental health status and quality of life in close contacts of COVID-19 patients in the post-COVID-19 era: a comparative study

Close contacts of those with COVID-19 (CC) may experience distress and long-lasting mental health effects. However, the mental health status and quality of life (QOL) in CC have not been adequately examined. This study examined the mental health status and QOL in CC during the post-COVID-19 period. This cross-sectional study comprised 1169 CC and 1290 who were non-close contacts (non-CC). Demographic data were collected; depression, fatigue, post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and QOL were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire - 9 items (PHQ-9), fatigue numeric rating scale, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist - 17 items (PCL-17), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire - brief version (WHOQOL-BREF), respectively. Analysis of covariance was used to compare depressive symptoms, QOL, fatigue, and PTSS between the CC and non-CC groups. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the independent correlates for depression, fatigue, PTSS, and QOL in the CC group. Compared to the non-CC group, the CC group reported significantly more severe depression (F(1, 2458) = 5.58, p = 0.018) and fatigue (F(1, 2458) = 9.22, p = 0.002) in the post-COVID-19 period. No significant differences in PTSS and QOL between the CC and non-CC groups were found (F(1, 2458) = 2.93, p = 0.087 for PTSS; F(1, 2458) = 3.45, p = 0.064 for QOL). In the CC group, younger age, financial loss due to COVID-19, and perception of poor or fair health status were significantly associated with depression and fatigue, while frequent use of mass media was significantly associated with fatigue. In conclusion, close contacts of COVID-19 patients experienced high levels of depression and fatigue in the post-COVID-19 period. Due to the negative effects of depression and fatigue on daily functioning, early detection and timely interventions should be provided to this neglected population.

Injury surveillance trends in career-technical education: New Jersey 1999-2018

INTRODUCTION

Adolescents engaging in school-sponsored work experiences may be at risk of injury due to factors such as inexperience. This article examines trends in 20 years of reported injuries among New Jersey (NJ) adolescents engaging in school-sponsored work experiences, and compares a transition from paper to online reporting format.

METHODS

New Jersey requires reporting of injuries occurring during school-sponsored work experiences to the NJ Department of Education. Injuries reported by NJ schools from 1999 to 2018 (n = 2,119) were examined; incidence rates for 2008 to 2018 (n = 743) were calculated using publicly available NJ Department of Education enrollment data for the denominator, including for specific groups of students: career and technical education; special healthcare needs.

RESULTS

A downward trend in reported injuries in NJ schools was observed. However, the year online reporting became required by code (2013), an increase of nearly 50% was seen from 2012 (59-89), followed by a decline in reported incidents 2014 to 2018 (mean = 65, range 76 down to 47). Injury rate trends over time paralleled those of reported incidents.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggested worker safety and public health benefits of improvements from State of NJ code required training programs and online injury surveillance report form. Practical Applications: One potential method to address the safety and health of adolescents engaging in work experiences is the use of online reporting forms, to aid in surveillance efforts, coupled with occupational safety and health training specifically geared toward teachers and administrators who both supervise young, relatively inexperienced and vulnerable workers and who make relatively frequent worksite visits. Incorporation of specific details of the instructions on the use of a reporting form into required trainings, in addition to providing a clear, accessible guidance manual online, could further help improve youth worker safety surveillance efforts.

The Mediating Role of Visual Stimuli From Media Use at Bedtime on Psychological Distress and Fatigue in College Students: Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Empirical research has linked psychological distress with fatigue. However, few studies have analyzed the factors (eg, stimuli from bedtime media use) that affect the relationship between psychological distress and fatigue.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine whether visual stimuli from bedtime media use mediate the relationship between psychological distress and fatigue among college students.

METHODS

The sample included 394 participants (92 males, 302 females) with a mean age of 19.98 years (SD 1.43 years), all of whom were Chinese college students at an occupational university in Sichuan Province, China. Data were collected using a paper-based questionnaire that addressed psychological distress, stimuli from bedtime media use, and fatigue. Mediation analysis was conducted using the PROCESS macro version 2.16.2 for SPSS 22, which provided the 95% CIs.

RESULTS

Both psychological distress (r=.43, P<.001) and visual stimuli from bedtime media use (r=.16, P<.001) were positively related to fatigue. The association between auditory stimuli from bedtime media use and fatigue was not significant (r=.09, P=.08). The relationship between psychological distress and fatigue was partially mediated by visual stimuli from bedtime media use (beta=.01, SE 0.01, 95% CI 0.0023-0.0253).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings imply that psychological distress has an indirect effect on fatigue via visual stimuli from bedtime media use. In contrast, auditory stimuli from bedtime media use did not have the same effect. We suggest that college students should reduce bedtime media use, and this could be achieved as part of an overall strategy to improve health. Mobile health apps could be an option to improving young students' health in daily life.

Reported injury, hospitalization, and injury fatality rates among New Jersey adolescent workers

Background

Workplace injuries are a public health concern, including among adolescents and young adults. Secondary school career-technical-vocational education related injuries are mandated by code under jurisdiction of New Jersey Department of Education to be reported online to New Jersey Safe Schools Program. These are the only U.S. law-based surveillance data for young workers in secondary school career-technical-vocational education. New Jersey Department of Health’s hospitalization and fatality records provide additional information about other secondary school career-technical-vocational education and non- secondary school career-technical-vocational education related injuries not necessarily reported to New Jersey Safe Schools Program. This report compared data available to the New Jersey Department of Health and New Jersey Safe Schools Program on injuries among young workers ages 14–21 years.

Methods

Annual work-related hospitalizations, 2007–2016, were abstracted from hospital discharge data. Denominator data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics was used to estimate annual crude rate of hospitalizations per 100,000 employed persons. Hospitalization rates were stratified by demographic data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Hospitalization rates for primary diagnoses and job title/status with ≥2 documented cases were reported. Annual crude fatality rates per 100,000 full time equivalent workers, age ≥ 16 years, were estimated for 1990–2016 using annual average full time equivalent workers and the U.S. National Institute Occupational Safety and Health’s Employed Labor Force Query System as denominator.

Results

Annual crude hospitalization rates decreased over time. Hospitalization and fatality rates were higher among young adult workers ages 19–21 years; non-Hispanic Whites; and, males. Percent fatality for ages 19–21 years was greater than ages 14–17 years and 18 years. Declines in hospitalization rates corresponded to decreases in reported injuries among career-technical-vocational education students. Age distribution varied slightly between hospital discharge data and New Jersey Safe Schools Program data.

Conclusion

Hospitalization and fatality rates were higher among males than among females, possibly reflecting a tendency for males to engage in riskier jobs than females. Understanding injury disparities can inform public health prevention efforts. Trainings/interventions should aim at addressing the most frequently diagnosed conditions or nature of reported injuries, within those most impacted career clusters like sales/restaurant workers.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s40621-019-0216-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Injuries among young workers in career-technical-vocational education and associations with per pupil spending

Background

New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) requires by law for accidents/incidents (injury) involving career-technical-vocational education (CTE) students and staff to be reported within five business days to the NJ Safe Schools Program (NJSS) using an online surveillance system. NJ public schools and charter schools (CS) through school districts (SD) or county offices report school data annually to NJDOE, including per pupil spending (PPS). In this study, we examined potential associations of PPS with several variables on injury in NJ: injury cause, injury location on the body, injury type, injury severity, use of PPE, and location of treatment for injury.

Methods

PPS data for December 1998–June 2015 from CTE SDs (one per NJ county, n = 21), four CS SD and eight county special services districts were analyzed. T-test examined potential differences in PPS regarding injury severity and use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Stepwise logistic regression assessed potential associations between PPS and various injury surveillance variables.

Results

There were more CTE injuries reported among SD with lower PPS than among SD with higher PPS. Relatively less severe injuries, e.g., bruise/bumps and cuts/lacerations, more often occurred at schools and SD with higher PPS. Conversely, relatively more severe injuries, e.g., fractures, more often occurred at schools and SD with lower PPS.

Conclusion

Future research should further investigate disparities regarding younger worker injuries reported within school-based career-technical-vocational education programs by PPS and other factors like sex or gender, severity, safety training provided and work experience at time of injury.

Subjective measures of work-related fatigue in automobile factory employees

BACKGROUND

Work-related fatigue is common among automobile factory employees.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to assess fatigue of employees at a Chinese automobile factory.

METHODS

238 employees (119 engineers and 119 workers) participated in this study. The following questionnaires were completed: demographic survey questionnaire, working condition questionnaire (WCQ), functional assessment of chronic illness therapy-fatigue (FACIT-F), subscales of multidimensional fatigue inventory (MFI), and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI).

RESULTS

Both engineers and workers experienced fatigue. The workers (35.6 years old, SD = 6.7) generally felt more fatigue than engineers (42.6 years old, SD = 6.4). The engineers claimed to be more satisfied with the working conditions than workers. The WCQ showed good properties for assessing work-related factors, which were significantly correlated with fatigue (r = 0.568 for engineers and r = 0.639 for workers). For engineers, general fatigue was observed regularly and frequently, and for workers, physical fatigue usually had a long duration.

CONCLUSIONS

The fatigue was significantly correlated with work-related factors, especially working environment and monotony. For workers, the duration of the work day also affected their fatigue. Some improvements to the working condition in this automobile factory should be considered.

The Association between Job-Related Psychosocial Factors and Prolonged Fatigue among Industrial Employees in Taiwan

Background and Objectives

Prolonged fatigue is common among employees, but the relationship between prolonged fatigue and job-related psychosocial factors is seldom studied. This study aimed (1) to assess the individual relations of physical condition, psychological condition, and job-related psychosocial factors to prolonged fatigue among employees, and (2) to clarify the associations between job-related psychosocial factors and prolonged fatigue using hierarchical regression when demographic characteristics, physical condition, and psychological condition were controlled.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was employed. A questionnaire was used to obtain information pertaining to demographic characteristics, physical condition (perceived physical health and exercise routine), psychological condition (perceived mental health and psychological distress), job-related psychosocial factors (job demand, job control, and workplace social support), and prolonged fatigue.

Results

A total of 3,109 employees were recruited. Using multiple regression with controlled demographic characteristics, psychological condition explained 52.0% of the variance in prolonged fatigue. Physical condition and job-related psychosocial factors had an adjusted R² of 0.370 and 0.251, respectively. Hierarchical multiple regression revealed that, among job-related psychosocial factors, job demand and job control showed significant associations with fatigue.

Conclusion

Our findings highlight the role of job demand and job control, in addition to the role of perceived physical health, perceived mental health, and psychological distress, in workers’ prolonged fatigue. However, more research is required to verify the causation among all the variables.

The aetiopathogenesis of fatigue: unpredictable, complex and persistent

BACKGROUND

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a common condition characterized by severe fatigue with post-exertional malaise, impaired cognitive ability, poor sleep quality, muscle pain, multi-joint pain, tender lymph nodes, sore throat or headache. Its defining symptom, fatigue is common to several diseases.

AREAS OF AGREEMENT

Research has established a broad picture of impairment across autonomic, endocrine and inflammatory systems though progress seems to have reached an impasse.

AREAS OF CONTROVERSY

The absence of a clear consensus view of the pathophysiology of fatigue suggests the need to switch from a focus on abnormalities in one system to an experimental and clinical approach which integrates findings across multiple systems and their constituent parts and to consider multiple environmental factors.

GROWING POINTS

We discuss this with reference to three key factors, non-determinism, non-reductionism and self-organization and suggest that an approach based on these principles may afford a coherent explanatory framework for much of the observed phenomena in fatigue and offers promising avenues for future research.

AREAS TIMELY FOR DEVELOPING RESEARCH

By adopting this approach, the field can examine issues regarding aetiopathogenesis and treatment, with relevance for future research and clinical practice.

Injury surveillance and associations with socioeconomic status indicators among youth/young workers in New Jersey secondary schools

BACKGROUND

Injuries involving career-technical-vocational education (CTE) are reported to the New Jersey Safe Schools Program online reporting system, the only U.S. State law-based surveillance data for young workers (ages twenty-one and younger), a susceptible, vulnerable adolescent sub-population.

METHODS

We examined potential associations between socioeconomic status (SES) indicators and high school student injuries reported between 12/1998-12/2013, excluding injuries acquired by staff members. Associations between DFG score-a proxy for school/district SES-and variables relating to reported injuries, including severity, injury type, injury cause, body parts injured, injury treatment setting and demographics were examined with chi square test (X(2)) for independence and logistic regression. To assess potential associations between SES and personal protective equipment (PPE), data were stratified by 2003-2008 and 2008-2013, given mandated payment by employers of PPE for employees.

RESULTS

Statistically significant associations were found between SES and injury cause [X(2) = (7, 14.74), p = 0.04] and SES and injury treatment setting [X(2) = (1, 4.76), p = 0.03]. Adjusted odds ratio suggested students from low SES schools were at a higher odds of being treated at a hospital emergency department (ED) than students from high SES schools (95 % CI 1.3-4.3, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicated low SES schools/districts have increased odds of being treated at ED, after controlling for injury severity. Future research should focus on implications such associations have on health care access and insurance for young workers and their families. With small sample sizes representing lower DFG scoring (SES) schools/districts, additional efforts should be enacted to increase injury reporting in these schools/districts.

Chronotype, Light Exposure, Sleep, and Daytime Functioning in High School Students Attending Morning or Afternoon School Shifts

Adolescent maturation is associated with delays of the endogenous circadian phase. Consequently, early school schedules may lead to a mismatch between internal and external time, which can be detrimental to adolescent sleep and health. In parallel, chronotype is known to play a role in adolescent health; evening chronotype adolescents are at higher risk for sleep problems and lower academic achievement. In the summer of 2008, Kénogami High School (Saguenay, Canada) was destroyed by fire. Kénogami students were subsequently relocated to Arvida High School (situated 5.3 km away) for the 2008-2009 academic year. A dual school schedule was implemented, with Arvida students attending a morning schedule (0740-1305 h) and Kénogami students an afternoon schedule (1325-1845 h). This study aimed to investigate the effects of such school schedules and chronotype on sleep, light exposure, and daytime functioning. Twenty-four morning and 33 afternoon schedule students wore an actigraph during 7 days to measure sleep and light exposure. Academic achievement was obtained from school. Subjects completed validated questionnaires on daytime sleepiness, psychological distress, social rhythms, school satisfaction, alcohol, and chronotype. Overall, afternoon schedule students had longer sleep duration, lower sleepiness, and lower light exposure than morning schedule students. Evening chronotypes (E-types) reported higher levels of sleepiness than morning chronotypes (M-types) in both morning and afternoon schedules. Furthermore, M-types attending the morning schedule reported higher sleepiness than M-types attending the afternoon schedule. No difference was found between morning and afternoon schedule students with regard to academic achievement, psychological distress, social rhythms, school satisfaction, and alcohol consumption. However, in both schedules, M-type had more regular social rhythms and lower alcohol consumption. In summary, this study emphasizes that an early school schedule is associated with detrimental effects in terms of sleep deprivation and daytime sleepiness, even for M-types. Furthermore, irrespective of school schedule, E-type adolescents face an increased risk for poor daytime functioning.

Occupational fatigue and other health and safety issues for young Australian workers: an exploratory mixed methods study

Youth are vulnerable to sleep loss and fatigue due to biological, social and psychological factors. However, there are few studies addressing the risk that sleep loss and fatigue pose for youth in the workplace. The aim of this study was to explore work health and safety (WHS) issues for young workers and develop strategies and solutions for improved WHS outcomes, with a focus on issues related to fatigue, using a mixed-method, multi-stage approach. Participants either completed a survey (n=212) or took part in focus groups (n=115) addressing WHS for young workers, or attended a Future Inquiry Workshop (n=29) where strategies for improving youth WHS were developed. Fatigue was identified as a significant problem by the majority of young workers and was associated with unpredictable working time arrangements, precarious employment, high workload, working overtime and limited ability to self-advocate. Participants identified six key areas for action to improve WHS outcomes for young workers; 1) develop expertise, 2) give young workers a voice, 3) improve education and training, 4) build stakeholder engagement, 5) increase employer awareness of WHS responsibilities and, 6) improve processes for employers to manage and monitor WHS outcomes. The application of these directives to fatigue is discussed.

Effects of a selective educational system on fatigue, sleep problems, daytime sleepiness, and depression among senior high school adolescents in Taiwan

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study reported here was to clarify the effects of academic pressure on fatigue, sleep problems, daytime sleepiness, and depression among senior high school adolescents in Taiwan.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study enrolled 757 senior high school adolescents who were classified into four groups: Grade 1 (n=261), Grade 2 (n=228), Grade 3T (n=199; Grade 3 students who had another college entrance test to take), and Grade 3S (n=69; Grade 3 students who had succeeded in their college application). Fatigue, sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and depression were assessed using the Chinese version of the Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory - Short Form, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index-Taiwan Form, the Chinese version of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and the Chinese version of the Beck Depression Inventory(®)-II (BDI-II), respectively.

RESULTS

Physical, emotional, and mental fatigue scores were all higher in higher-grade groups. The Grade 3T (test) students had the worst fatigue severity, and the Grade 3S (success) students had the least fatigue severity. More than half of the students (60.9%) went to bed after 12 am, and they had on average 6.0 hours of sleep per night. More than 30% of the students in Grade 2 (37.3%) and Grades 3T/S (30.2%/30.4%) possibly had daily sleepiness problems. The students in Grade 3T had the worst BDI-II score (13.27±9.24), and the Grade 3S students had a much lower BDI-II score (7.91±6.13).

CONCLUSION

Relatively high proportions of fatigue, sleep problems, daytime sleepiness, and depression among senior high school adolescents were found in our study. The severities of fatigue, sleep problems, and depression were significantly diminished in the group under less academic stress (Grade 3S). Our findings may increase the understanding of the mental health of senior high school students under academic pressure in Taiwan. Further large sample size and population-based study should be done for better understanding about this topic.

The association between school-to-work programs and school performance

PURPOSE

The School-to-Work (STW) Opportunities Act was passed to aid students in transitioning from education to employment by offering work-based learning opportunities. In the United States, 72% of high schools offer work-based learning opportunities for credit. This is the first study to describe school performance and school-based behaviors among students enrolled in STW programs and compare them with nonworking and other-working students.

METHODS

In 2003, a questionnaire was administered to five school districts and one large urban school in Wisconsin. Between 2008 and 2010, analyses were completed to characterize STW students and compare them with other students.

RESULTS

Of the 6,519 students aged 14-18 years included in the analyses, 461 were involved in an STW program (7%), 3,108 were non-working (48%), and 2,950 were other-working students (45%). Compared with other students, STW students were less likely to have a grade point average >2.0, more likely to have three or more unexcused absences from school, and more likely to spend <1 hour in school-sponsored activities. Holding multiple jobs also negatively affected a student's academic performance.

CONCLUSIONS

School-to-Work students reported poorer academic performance and more unhealthy school-related behaviors compared with nonworking students and other-working students. Whereas many factors have a role in why students perform poorly in school, more research on students enrolled in STW programs is needed to understand whether participating has a negative impact on students' academic achievement.

Total sleep time severely drops during adolescence

Restricted sleep duration among young adults and adolescents has been shown to increase the risk of morbidities such as obesity, diabetes or accidents. However there are few epidemiological studies on normal total sleep time (TST) in representative groups of teen-agers which allow to get normative data.

Cut-Laceration Injuries and Related Career Groups in New Jersey Career, Vocational, and Technical Education Courses and Programs

Investigations of young workers, including limited surveys in supervised school settings, suggested their elevated injury risk. This study identified factors contributing to cuts-lacerations among adolescents in New Jersey secondary school career, technical, and vocational education programs. Of 1,772 injuries reported between December 1, 1998, and September 1, 2010, 777 (44%) were cuts-lacerations; analyses focused on 224 reports ( n = 182 post-exclusions) submitted after fall 2005 in three career groups—Food, Hospitality & Tourism (FH&T) ( n = 71), Manufacturing & Construction (M&C) ( n = 84), and Automotive & Transportation (A&T) ( n = 27). Most students were “struck by” tools or hard surfaces ( n = 93, 51%); 63 cuts were from knives in FH&T. In M&C, most cuts-lacerations were caused by hand-held tools ( n = 18) and being “struck against/by” or “caught between hard surfaces” ( n = 19). Males reported more cuts-lacerations ( n = 145), most commonly among 11th graders ( n = 54) and ages 16 to 17 years ( n = 79). Fingers ( n = 117) were most often injured, usually by cutting tools ( n = 83). Training, supervision, and appropriate equipment, and further assessments of “struck by” and “pinch point” hazards, are needed.

Relationship of chronotype to sleep, light exposure, and work-related fatigue in student workers

Students who work during the school year face the potential of sleep deprivation and its effects, since they have to juggle between school and work responsibilities along with social life. This may leave them with less time left for sleep than their nonworking counterparts. Chronotype is a factor that may exert an influence on the sleep of student workers. Also, light and social zeitgebers may have an impact on the sleep-related problems of this population. This study aimed to document sleep, light exposure patterns, social rhythms, and work-related fatigue of student workers aged 19-21 yrs and explore possible associations with chronotype. A total of 88 student workers (mean ± SD: 20.18 ± .44 yrs of age; 36 males/52 females) wore an actigraph (Actiwatch-L; Mini-Mitter/Respironics,Bend, OR) and filled out the Social Rhythm Metric for two consecutive weeks during the school year. Also, they completed the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Occupational Fatigue Exhaustion/Recovery Scale (OFER). Repeated and one-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs), Pearson's chi-square tests, and correlation coefficients were used for statistical comparisons. Subjects slept an average of 06:28 h/night. Actigraphic sleep parameters, such as sleep duration, sleep efficiency, wake after sleep onset, and sleep latency, did not differ between chronotypes. Results also show that evening types (n = 17) presented lower subjective sleep quality than intermediate types (n = 58) and morning types (n = 13). Moreover, evening types reported higher levels of chronic work-related fatigue, exhibited less regular social rhythms, and were exposed to lower levels of light during their waking hours (between 2 and 11 h after wake time) as compared to intermediate types and morning types. In addition, exposure to light intensities between 100 and 500 lux was lower in evening types than in intermediate types and morning types. However, bright light exposure (≥ 1000 lux) did not differ between chronotypes. In conclusion, results suggest that student workers may constitute a high-risk population for sleep deprivation. Evening types seemed to cope less well with sleep deprivation, reporting poorer sleep quality and higher levels of work-related fatigue than intermediate types and morning types. The higher chronic work-related fatigue of evening types may be linked to their attenuated level of light exposure and weaker social zeitgebers. These results add credence to the hypothesis that eveningness entails a higher risk of health-impairing behaviors.