Abstract
BACKGROUND: Insomnia is a highly prevalent health problem, affecting about one-third of the adult population globally. University students are at a high risk for developing insomnia due to the stressful nature of academic life and often unhealthy sleeping habits. The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of poor sleep quality and investigate sleep hygiene patterns among university students in Qatar. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among university students using two validated instruments: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI). Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including correlation and multivariate regression analyses. RESULTS: Two thousand and sixty-two students responded to the web-based survey. The mean PSQI score (7.57±3.03) was indicative of poor sleep quality in approximately 70% of the students. Similarly, the mean SHI score (21.79±6.69) was indicative of poor sleep hygiene patterns in 79% of the students. Academic program type, marital status, gender, and sleep hygiene significantly influenced sleep quality. After controlling for all possible covariates in the multiple regression analysis, sleep hygiene remained as the only factor significantly predicting sleep quality. Students with a good sleep hygiene were about four times more likely to have a good sleep quality compared to those with poor sleep hygiene (adjusted OR= 3.66, 95% CI= 2.8-4.8, p <0.001). CONCLUSION: Poor sleep quality and inadequate sleep hygiene practices were highly prevalent among university students in Qatar. Sleep hygiene was found to be the only significant predictor of sleep quality such that those adopting healthy sleep hygiene practices were more likely to have better sleep quality. Interventions to raise awareness on the effect of sleep hygiene on sleep quality among university students are needed.