Sleep Quality and Mental Health in Students at a Jungle University in Peru: A Cross-sectional Study During COVID-19 Pandemic Confinement

Abstract

ObjectiveThe objective was to evaluate the association between sleep quality and mental health in students at a jungle university in Peru. Materials and methodsAn analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on university students ≥18 years old during September and November 2020. Mental health status was measured with General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and sleep quality with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The association was assessed using linear regression models, and crude (βc) and adjusted (βa) beta regression coefficients with their respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were estimated. ResultsTwo hundred and seventy-nine students were evaluated, 35.1% were 20–21 years old and 56.6% were male. The mean PSQI was 7.9±3.2, and 75.3% presented sleep problems. The mean GHQ-12 was 14.0±6.6, and 57.7% showed suspected psychopathology. The total sleep quality score (βa=0.36; 95% CI: 0.11–0.61; p=0.005), as well as, higher component scores, subjective sleep quality (βa=1.57; 95% CI: 0.28–2.87; p=0.018), sleep duration (βa=1.25; 95% CI: 0.35–2.16; p=0.007), hypnotic medication use (βa=1.79; 95% CI: 0.43–3.15; p=0.010), and daytime dysfunction (βa=1.15; 95% CI: 0.10–2.19; p=0.032), were associated with worse mental health status score. ConclusionAfter 6 months of initiation of COVID-19 confinement, the frequency of sleep disturbance and mental health were elevated. Sleep quality disturbance was associated with worse mental health status.