Exploring the relationship of sleep quality with drug use and substance abuse among university students: a cross-cultural study

Fahmi Hassan Fadhel

doi:10.1186/s43045-020-00072-7

Abstract

BackgroundThere is a growing interest in studying the area of drugs and college students due to the negative effects that drugs have on a student’s social life, academics, psychology, finances, and health. So, this study aims to identify the relationship between drug/substance abuse and quality of sleep among university students in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.The sample size was 935 (43.21% N = 404 female, 56.79% N = 531 male, 55.40% N = 518 Yemeni, and 44.60% N = 417 Saudi). Students responded to the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Substance Abuse Questionnaire.ResultsThe results showed a high prevalence of drug use: 43.1% of respondents (27.27% N = 219 Yemenis and 15.83% N = 148 Saudis) abuse drugs, 29.41% were in the low level of drug use, 10.48% were in the moderate level of drug use, 2.46% were in the substantial level of drug, and 0.75% were in the severe level of drug use as per the DAST-10. The differences between both countries in terms of drug use were significant (X2 19.394, P < 0.001). The prevalence rate of inhalants was 16.36% and of sedatives was 12.09%, and the differences between countries were significant. The prevalence of poor sleep quality was 24.81%; a total of 7.91% of respondents had very poor sleep quality, while 16.90% had poor sleep quality. The differences between countries were not significant.The relationship between sleep quality and drug use, smoking, and substance abuse was significant. The quality of sleep decreased consistently with a high level of drug use or substance abuse.ConclusionsPoor sleep quality is significantly associated with drug use and substance abuse, and it is important to recognize the factors affecting drug and substance abuse among university students. A significant contribution can make for the protection of university students by guaranteeing that psychological interventions for high-risk groups are planned in advance.

Highlights

There is a growing interest in studying the area of drugs and college students due to the negative effects that drugs have on a student’s social life, academics, psychology, finances, and health
The results of this study showed that 56.9% (N = 532) of the students (28.13% N = 263 Yemenis and 28.77% N = 269 Saudis) had no problems with drugs, 29.41% (N = 275) of the students (18.50% N = 173 Yemenis and 10.91% N = 102 Saudis) were at the low level of the DAST-10, and 10.48% (N = 98) of the students (6.95% N = 65 Yemenis and 3.53% N = 33 Saudis) were at the moderate level
The results of the current study revealed a variation in the prevalence rates of smoking among university students in Yemen and Saudi Arabia

Summary

Introduction

There is a growing interest in studying the area of drugs and college students due to the negative effects that drugs have on a student’s social life, academics, psychology, finances, and health. This study aims to identify the relationship between drug/substance abuse and quality of sleep among university students in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Students misuse a variety of substances; they smoke tobacco (including cigarettes and water pipes, or narghile and shisha, as they are called in the Middle East), chew tobacco, inhale volatile substances (solvents such as glue and gasoline), use sedatives such as diazepam (a benzodiazepine), take hypnotics such as amphetamines, and cannabis, or take drugs such as cocaine and heroin. The growing interest in studying drugs among college students stems from the negative effects that drugs can have on a student’s social life, academics, psychology, Fadhel Middle East Current Psychiatry (2020) 27:65 finances, and health. Drugs negatively affect academic performance and achievement among students [9]

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