Validation of the Athens Insomnia Scale for screening insomnia in South Korean firefighters and rescue workers

Purpose Sleep problems are a major cause of occupational stress in firefighters and rescue workers. We evaluated the psychometric properties of the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) among South Korean firefighters and rescue workers. Methods Structured clinical interviews and self-report questionnaires were administered to 221 firefighters and rescue workers. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Short-Form 36-item Health Survey (SF36), and Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test—Consumption (AUDIT-C) were used to examine convergent and divergent validity. Test–retest reliability was calculated from a subsample ( n = 24). Analysis of internal consistency, factor analysis, and receiver operator characteristic curve analysis were conducted. Results Cronbach’s alpha was 0.88. The mean item-total correlation coefficient was 0.73. The test–retest reliability was excellent (ICC = 0.94). Significant correlations of the AIS with the PSQI, ISI, ESS, and SF36 confirmed convergent validity. Nonsignificant associations of the AIS with the AUDIT-C and socioeconomic status showed divergent validity. Factor analysis revealed a one-factor structure. For groups with different symptom severity, group-specific cutoff scores which may improve positive predictive values were suggested. Conclusions The AIS may be a useful tool with good reliability and validity for screening insomnia symptoms in firefighters and rescue workers.