Sleep quality, stress level and COVID-19 in university students; the forgotten dimension

Eptehal Dongol; Kerollos Shaker; Ahmed Abbas; Ahmed Assar; Mohamed Abdelraoof; Emad Saady; Amr Hassan; Omar Youssef; Mohamed Essam; Maysa Mahmoud; Guy Leschziner

doi:10.5935/1984-0063.20210011

Sleep Science, Table of Contents

CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Sleep Sci 2022; 15(S 02): 347-354
DOI: 10.5935/1984-0063.20210011

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Sleep quality, stress level and COVID-19 in university students; the forgotten dimension

Authors

Eptehal Dongol

¹South Valley University, Qena Faculty of Medicine, Sleep disorders unit - Qena - Egypt.

²South Valley University, Qena Faculty of Medicine - Qena - Egypt.
Kerollos Shaker

¹South Valley University, Qena Faculty of Medicine, Sleep disorders unit - Qena - Egypt.

²South Valley University, Qena Faculty of Medicine - Qena - Egypt.

³Qena Student Research Association (QSRA) - Qena - Egypt.
Ahmed Abbas

¹South Valley University, Qena Faculty of Medicine, Sleep disorders unit - Qena - Egypt.

²South Valley University, Qena Faculty of Medicine - Qena - Egypt.

³Qena Student Research Association (QSRA) - Qena - Egypt.
Ahmed Assar

⁴Menoufia University, Faculty of Medicine - Shebin El-Kom - Menoufia - Egypt.
Mohamed Abdelraoof

⁵Mansoura University, Faculty of Medicine - Mansoura - Egypt.
Emad Saady

¹South Valley University, Qena Faculty of Medicine, Sleep disorders unit - Qena - Egypt.

²South Valley University, Qena Faculty of Medicine - Qena - Egypt.

³Qena Student Research Association (QSRA) - Qena - Egypt.
Amr Hassan

²South Valley University, Qena Faculty of Medicine - Qena - Egypt.
Omar Youssef

¹South Valley University, Qena Faculty of Medicine, Sleep disorders unit - Qena - Egypt.

²South Valley University, Qena Faculty of Medicine - Qena - Egypt.

³Qena Student Research Association (QSRA) - Qena - Egypt.
Mohamed Essam

¹South Valley University, Qena Faculty of Medicine, Sleep disorders unit - Qena - Egypt.

²South Valley University, Qena Faculty of Medicine - Qena - Egypt.

³Qena Student Research Association (QSRA) - Qena - Egypt.
Maysa Mahmoud

¹South Valley University, Qena Faculty of Medicine, Sleep disorders unit - Qena - Egypt.

²South Valley University, Qena Faculty of Medicine - Qena - Egypt.

³Qena Student Research Association (QSRA) - Qena - Egypt.
Guy Leschziner

⁶King’s College London, sleep disorders center - London - United Kingdom.

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Introduction: COVID-19 is a novel pandemic that has had a profound impact on global physical and psychological health. We aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on stress, sleep quality, and insomnia among South Valley University students in Egypt during the quarantine period.

Material and Methods: A questionnaire, including the Pittsburgh sleep quality index, the insomnia severity index, the perceived stress scale and COVID-19 fear index was distributed to the undergraduate students through the online platforms of South Valley University during the period of 1st to 15th June 2020.

Results: Of a total respondent sample of 2,474 students, 24.5% had high-perceived stress levels, 31.3% had clinical insomnia, and about 80% were identified as generally poor sleepers by the PSQI. Being female, having a chronic disease, having a sleep disorder before the quarantine, or consuming caffeine were the main factors associated with high stress levels, clinical insomnia, and poor sleep quality. Also, levels of fear of COVID-19 were higher among people with high stress levels, clinical insomnia, and poor sleep quality. Conclusion: Considerable levels of stress and poor sleep quality were identified among undergraduate university students during the pandemic/home isolation period. The effect was more obvious among certain demographic groups and among the students who scored higher in the fear of COVID-19 scale.

Keywords:

Undergraduate Students - Sleep Quality - Insomnia - Fear - Coronavirus

Full Text

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