Abstract
BACKGROUND: Sleep is a vital biological function, critical for maintaining physical and mental health. Nursing officers, because of their demanding shift work, often experience disrupted sleep patterns. This study aims to determine the association between sleep quality and socioeconomic status among nursing officers in a selected hospital in Bhubaneswar. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Modified Kuppuswamy Scale. An online questionnaire using Google Forms was distributed to 236 nursing officers aged over 25 years. Exclusion criteria included officers on maternity leave, those with a history of sleep disorders, chronic illnesses affecting sleep, and those on sleep-inducing medication. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 29, with descriptive statistics and Kruskal-Wallis tests used to examine bivariate associations. RESULTS: The majority of participants (66.5%) were aged 25-30 years, with 75.8% being female and 80.9% unmarried, and socioeconomic status was assessed through educational qualifications, occupation, and family income. While there was no significant difference in PSQI scores based on age, gender, and educational qualifications, a significant association was found between PSQI scores and both occupation (P < 0.001) and family income (P < 0.001), with clerks and low-income families showing poorer sleep quality. CONCLUSION: The study highlights a significant association between sleep quality and socioeconomic factors such as occupation and family income among nursing officers. These findings suggest that socioeconomic disparities contribute to variations in sleep quality, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to improve sleep health among nursing professionals.