Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to examine potential differences in electroencephalogram (EEG) activity according to workload stress suffered by medical professionals in our institute, King Fahad Medical City (KFMC) in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) during working days relative to non-working days.

Purpose: A prospective cohort study of 73 medical professionals from KFMC was conducted. EEG recordings were gathered twice per participant-once during working (stress) day and again during the non-working (rest) day.

Results: The p-value was calculated as 0.988. A positive relationship between EEG activity during days of work and that found during non-working days could not be established in our cohort study.

Conclusion: In our study, no evidence of a positive relationship was found between EEG findings in medical professionals on high-stress working days compared to low-stress non-working days. This does not exclude the possibility of presence of a true relation, as the period between the EEGs done on duty days and off days was short and not allowing for relief and relaxation effects to occur.

Keywords: Potential differences; Electroencephalogram; Relaxation effects; Psychological stress; Behavior; Cognitive processes; Systemic diseases; Psychological; Metabolic diseases; Institutional Review Board; Polyrhythmic