Fatigue Measurement in Occupational Populations

Occupational fatigue is a prevalent and concerning issue as it impacts employee health and safety by increasing risk for accidents and injuries. In addition, the economic burden of fatigue due to absenteeism, employee turnover, and loss of productivity is being increasingly recognized. Numerous instruments have been created to measure fatigue in a variety of populations, however previous reviews have not identified which instruments are applicable to different occupational groups and whether instrument utility (e.g., reliability and validity) is consistently evaluated and reported. This review investigated survey instruments being used to measure occupationally related fatigue across occupations and provides comment on the strengths and weaknesses of their application. In addition, this review examined whether researchers are assessing instrument reliability and validity. Nineteen different survey instruments were identified as being used to measure occupational fatigue. The Occupational Fatigue Exhaustion Recovery Scale and the Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory are commonly used, having been applied in 42 of 57 reviewed studies (approximately 74%). This review identified gaps in assessment of instrument reliability and/or validity, thus calling for more sophisticated selection of survey instruments. Measuring fatigue accurately and appropriately is of public health significance because doing so can help inform interventions aimed at mitigating fatigue in workers, which can protect worker health and safety and reduce economic burden