Reducing Work-related Screen Time in Health Care Workers During Leisure Time

NCT05106647 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 0514-21-EX
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 520
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect that uninstalling work email applications from mobile devices during leisure time has on health care worker stress levels.

Conditions

Stress; Burnout, Caregiver

Keywords

Screen time

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change from baseline modified Perceived Stress Scale-10 after leisure time

  Individual scores on the Perceived Stress Scale can range from 0 to 40 with higher scores indicating higher perceived stress.

  Change in scale measured at baseline and after leisure time (through study completion, an average of 1 week)

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Screen time

  At the end of leisure time (through study completion, an average of 1 week)

Study Arms (2)

Control

NO INTERVENTION

This group would complete a survey that measures stress before and after leisure time with no added instructions.

Reduce screen time

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants randomized to the intervention group are encouraged to set up an automated response to emails received during their weekend off, reduce their screen time for duration of leisure time, and uninstall work applications from their mobile device. Surveys are sent prior to and after leisure time.

Behavioral: Reduce screen time

Interventions

Reduce screen time BEHAVIORAL

The intervention is information provided via email on how to set up an automated response to emails received during their weekend off, reduce screen time for duration of leisure time, and uninstall work applications from their mobile device.

Reduce screen time

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 19 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• \) be an active health care worker
• \) be ≥ 19 years old
• \) routinely use a smartphone
• \) have a work email application (e.g., Outlook) installed on their smartphone.

You may not qualify if:

• None

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Nebraska: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Nebraska Medical Center

Omaha, Nebraska, 68198, United States

Location

Related Publications (16)

• Afonso AM, Cadwell JB, Staffa SJ, Zurakowski D, Vinson AE. Burnout Rate and Risk Factors among Anesthesiologists in the United States. Anesthesiology. 2021 May 1;134(5):683-696. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000003722.

  PMID: 33667293 BACKGROUND

• Salazar de Pablo G, Vaquerizo-Serrano J, Catalan A, Arango C, Moreno C, Ferre F, Shin JI, Sullivan S, Brondino N, Solmi M, Fusar-Poli P. Impact of coronavirus syndromes on physical and mental health of health care workers: Systematic review and meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2020 Oct 1;275:48-57. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.06.022. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

  PMID: 32658823 BACKGROUND

• Shanafelt TD, Hasan O, Dyrbye LN, Sinsky C, Satele D, Sloan J, West CP. Changes in Burnout and Satisfaction With Work-Life Balance in Physicians and the General US Working Population Between 2011 and 2014. Mayo Clin Proc. 2015 Dec;90(12):1600-13. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2015.08.023.

  PMID: 26653297 BACKGROUND

• Janosy NR, Anderson CTM. Toward physician well-being and the mitigation of burnout. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2021 Apr 1;34(2):176-179. doi: 10.1097/ACO.0000000000000969.

  PMID: 33652456 BACKGROUND

• Gunnell KE, Flament MF, Buchholz A, Henderson KA, Obeid N, Schubert N, Goldfield GS. Examining the bidirectional relationship between physical activity, screen time, and symptoms of anxiety and depression over time during adolescence. Prev Med. 2016 Jul;88:147-52. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.04.002. Epub 2016 Apr 14.

  PMID: 27090920 BACKGROUND

• Maras D, Flament MF, Murray M, Buchholz A, Henderson KA, Obeid N, Goldfield GS. Screen time is associated with depression and anxiety in Canadian youth. Prev Med. 2015 Apr;73:133-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2015.01.029. Epub 2015 Feb 2.

  PMID: 25657166 BACKGROUND

• Yu B, Gu Y, Bao X, Meng G, Wu H, Zhang Q, Liu L, Sun S, Wang X, Zhou M, Jia Q, Song K, Niu K. Distinct associations of computer/mobile devices use and TV watching with depressive symptoms in adults: A large population study in China. Depress Anxiety. 2019 Sep;36(9):879-886. doi: 10.1002/da.22932. Epub 2019 Jul 3.

  PMID: 31268210 BACKGROUND

• Colicchio TK, Cimino JJ, Del Fiol G. Unintended Consequences of Nationwide Electronic Health Record Adoption: Challenges and Opportunities in the Post-Meaningful Use Era. J Med Internet Res. 2019 Jun 3;21(6):e13313. doi: 10.2196/13313.

  PMID: 31162125 BACKGROUND

• Shanafelt TD, Dyrbye LN, Sinsky C, Hasan O, Satele D, Sloan J, West CP. Relationship Between Clerical Burden and Characteristics of the Electronic Environment With Physician Burnout and Professional Satisfaction. Mayo Clin Proc. 2016 Jul;91(7):836-48. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.05.007. Epub 2016 Jun 27.

  PMID: 27313121 BACKGROUND

• Gardner RL, Cooper E, Haskell J, Harris DA, Poplau S, Kroth PJ, Linzer M. Physician stress and burnout: the impact of health information technology. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2019 Feb 1;26(2):106-114. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocy145.

  PMID: 30517663 BACKGROUND

• Tai-Seale M, Dillon EC, Yang Y, Nordgren R, Steinberg RL, Nauenberg T, Lee TC, Meehan A, Li J, Chan AS, Frosch DL. Physicians' Well-Being Linked To In-Basket Messages Generated By Algorithms In Electronic Health Records. Health Aff (Millwood). 2019 Jul;38(7):1073-1078. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05509.

  PMID: 31260371 BACKGROUND

• Lieu TA, Freed GL. Unbounded-Parent-Physician Communication in the Era of Portal Messaging. JAMA Pediatr. 2019 Sep 1;173(9):811-812. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.2309. No abstract available.

  PMID: 31355855 BACKGROUND

• Akbar F, Mark G, Prausnitz S, Warton EM, East JA, Moeller MF, Reed ME, Lieu TA. Physician Stress During Electronic Health Record Inbox Work: In Situ Measurement With Wearable Sensors. JMIR Med Inform. 2021 Apr 28;9(4):e24014. doi: 10.2196/24014.

  PMID: 33908888 BACKGROUND

• Agyapong VIO, Hrabok M, Vuong W, Shalaby R, Noble JM, Gusnowski A, Mrklas KJ, Li D, Urichuk L, Snaterse M, Surood S, Cao B, Li XM, Greiner R, Greenshaw AJ. Changes in Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Levels of Subscribers to a Daily Supportive Text Message Program (Text4Hope) During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Survey Study. JMIR Ment Health. 2020 Dec 18;7(12):e22423. doi: 10.2196/22423.

  PMID: 33296330 BACKGROUND

• Berlowitz J, Hall DL, Joyce C, Fredman L, Sherman KJ, Saper RB, Roseen EJ. Changes in Perceived Stress After Yoga, Physical Therapy, and Education Interventions for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial. Pain Med. 2020 Oct 1;21(10):2529-2537. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnaa150.

  PMID: 32500130 BACKGROUND

• Bartels K, Shah K, Sanchez Rodriguez E, Hoffman JT, Rolfzen ML, Mora Valdovinos J, Hassett AL, Sessler DI. Reducing Work-Related Screen-Time in Healthcare Workers During Leisure Time (REDUCE SCREEN) - A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Syst. 2026 Jan 17;50(1):11. doi: 10.1007/s10916-026-02338-9.

  PMID: 41545795 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Caregiver Burden

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Stress, Psychological; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Study Officials

• Karsten Bartels, MD, PhD, MBA

  University of Nebraska

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 12, 2021
• First Posted: November 4, 2021
• Study Start: November 9, 2021
• Primary Completion: November 5, 2023
• Study Completion: November 5, 2023
• Last Updated: September 19, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)