What does this research mean for the field?

Han Chinese firefighters stationed at high altitudes experience significantly poorer sleep quality and higher anxiety levels compared to Tibetan firefighters, with anxiety being an independent risk factor for poor sleep. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This study aims to investigate the prevalence of sleep disturbances in Han Chinese and Tibetan firefighters at high altitudes.

May 18, 2026Nature and Science of Sleep0 citationsOpen Access

The Sleep Quality of Han Chinese and Tibetan Firefighters at High Altitude: A Field Study

XTXugang Tang LTLuxun Tang SLShuang Li

Key Points

This study aims to investigate the prevalence of sleep disturbances in Han Chinese and Tibetan firefighters at high altitudes.
Male firefighters were recruited from various fire stations at altitudes of 500 m, 2570 m, and 4509 m in Southwest China.
Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), while anxiety and depression were evaluated with GAD-7 and PHQ-9 questionnaires.
Logistic regression analyzed the relationship between ethnicity and sleep quality, incorporating anxiety scores.
Han Chinese firefighters demonstrated increased PSQI scores at higher altitudes: 4 at 500 m, 4 at 2570 m, and 5 at 4509 m, with poor sleep quality prevalence rising from 23% to 44%.
Tibetan firefighters showed stable and better sleep quality with lower GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores compared to Han Chinese.
Logistic regression found being Han Chinese (OR = 3.050, 95% CI: 1.214–7.665) and higher GAD-7 scores (OR = 1.816, 95% CI: 1.332–2.477) significantly associated with poor sleep.

Abstract

Xugang Tang,1 Luxun Tang,1 Shuang Li,1 Xuedong Gu,2 Xue Li,1 Xiaoyu Li,1 Wen Jiang,3 Qiang Wang,1 Yongjian Yang1 1Department of Cardiology, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, Chengdu, 610083, Peopleâs Republic of China; 2Department of Anesthesiology, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, Chengdu, 610083, Peopleâs Republic of China; 3Department of Outpatient, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, Chengdu, 610083, Peopleâs Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yongjian Yang, Department of Cardiology, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, 270 Tianhui Road, Rongdu Avenue, Jinniu District, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610083, Peopleâs Republic of China, Email yyjcdzyy@sina.comBackground: The sleep quality of Han Chinese and Tibetan firefighters at high altitude remains poorly understood. This study investigates the prevalence of sleep disturbances in these groups and whether ethnicity affects sleep quality in these two populations.Methods: Male firefighters were recruited from China Fire and Rescue stations at high altitude of 500 m, 2570 m, and 4509 m in Southwest China. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) assessed sleep quality, considering scores > 5 as poor sleep quality. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were evaluated using the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7) and the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9).Results: As altitude increased, the total PSQI scores of Han Chinese firefighters showed a non-statistically significant rise: 4 (2â 5) at 500 m, 4 (3â 6.75) at 2570 m, and 5 (2.75â 6) at 4509 m. Poor sleep quality prevalence also rose: 23%, 31%, and 44%, respectively. In contrast, the sleep quality of Tibetan firefighters remained relatively stable and was better than that of their Han Chinese counterparts. Furthermore, the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores were higher in Han Chinese firefighters compared to Tibetan firefighters. The PSQI score was positively correlated with GAD-7 scores (Ï = 0.454, p < 0.001) and PHQ-9 scores (Ï = 0.380, p < 0.001) but negatively correlated with Tibetan ethnicity (Ï = â 0.228, p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis indicated that, compared to Tibetans, being Han Chinese (odds ratio OR = 3.050, 95% confidence interval CI: 1.214â 7.665) and having higher GAD-7 scores (OR = 1.816, 95% CI: 1.332â 2.477) were independently associated factors for poor sleep quality.Conclusion: This study suggests that Han Chinese firefighters in this field sample across these stations are at greater risk of poor sleep quality than Tibetan firefighters, with elevated GAD-7 scores being a potential contributing factor for poor sleep quality.Keywords: anxiety, firefighter, high altitude, Han Chinese, ethnicity, sleep

KI fragen

Bookmark

View Full Paper