Assessment of Sleep Quality and its Relationship to Social Media Use Among Medical Students

The Association of Smartphone Usage with Sleep Disturbances among Medical Students

Background  Smartphones have become an important and vital instrument that all medical students utilize, but the usage of such devices has been found to be connected to sleep disturbances. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and the relationship between smartphone addiction and poor sleep quality among medical students. Methods  A cross-sectional study was conducted among the fifth- and sixth-year medical students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to investigate the relation between smartphone usage and sleep disturbances. The questionnaires included demographic details, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and smartphone addiction scale short version (SAS-SV). Results  All 251 respondents had smartphones that were utilized for social media, communication, studying, etc. Most of the students were identified as smartphone addicts (65%), and 75% of the students had poor sleep quality. Sleep quality was found to be poor in 145 (85%) students with smartphone addiction. Smartphone addiction was significantly associated with poor sleep quality (odds ratio [OR]: 4.271; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.300-7.933; p  < 0.001). Gender and academic year were not significant predictors of poor sleep quality with p -values of 0.668 and 0.361, respectively. Smartphone addiction was significantly more prevalent among female students (80%) compared to male students (60%; p  = 0.004), with the mean addiction score of 43.5 ± 11.5 and 33.5 ± 9.1, respectively ( p  < 0.001). Conclusion  Our study shows a significant association between smartphone addiction and poor sleep quality. It is strongly recommended that counseling services be provided to medical students to assist those suffering from smartphone addiction and sleep difficulties.

Electronic Media Use and Sleep Quality: Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

This paper explores the widely discussed relationship between electronic media use and sleep quality, indicating negative effects due to various factors. However, existing meta-analyses on the topic have some limitations.

OBJECTIVE

The study aims to analyze and compare the impacts of different digital media types, such as smartphones, online games, and social media, on sleep quality.

METHODS

Adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, the study performed a systematic meta-analysis of literature across multiple databases, including Web of Science, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and Google Scholar, from January 2018 to October 2023. Two trained coders coded the study characteristics independently. The effect sizes were calculated using the correlation coefficient as a standardized measure of the relationship between electronic media use and sleep quality across studies. The Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software (version 3.0) was used to perform the meta-analysis. Statistical methods such as funnel plots were used to assess the presence of asymmetry and a p-curve test to test the p-hacking problem, which can indicate publication bias.

RESULTS

Following a thorough screening process, the study involved 55 papers (56 items) with 41,716 participants from over 20 countries, classifying electronic media use into "general use" and "problematic use." The meta-analysis revealed that electronic media use was significantly linked with decreased sleep quality and increased sleep problems with varying effect sizes across subgroups. A significant cultural difference was also observed in these effects. General use was associated with a significant decrease in sleep quality (P<.001). The pooled effect size was 0.28 (95% CI 0.21-0.35; k=20). Problematic use was associated with a significant increase in sleep problems (P≤.001). The pooled effect size was 0.33 (95% CI 0.28-0.38; k=36). The subgroup analysis indicated that the effect of general smartphone use and sleep problems was r=0.33 (95% CI 0.27-0.40), which was the highest among the general group. The effect of problematic internet use and sleep problems was r=0.51 (95% CI 0.43-0.59), which was the highest among the problematic groups. There were significant differences among these subgroups (general: Qbetween=14.46, P=.001; problematic: Qbetween=27.37, P<.001). The results of the meta-regression analysis using age, gender, and culture as moderators indicated that only cultural difference in the relationship between Eastern and Western culture was significant (Qbetween=6.69; P=.01). All funnel plots and p-curve analyses showed no evidence of publication and selection bias.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite some variability, the study overall confirms the correlation between increased electronic media use and poorer sleep outcomes, which is notably more significant in Eastern cultures.

Sleep Quality and Sleep Hygiene Behaviours Among University Students in Qatar

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.

The Worldwide Prevalence of Sleep Problems Among Medical Students by Problem, Country, and COVID-19 Status: a Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Meta-regression of 109 Studies Involving 59427 Participants

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Several studies have found that medical students have a significant prevalence of sleep issues, such as poor sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness, and inadequate sleep duration. The purpose of this review is to carefully evaluate the current research on sleep problems among medical students and, as a result, estimate the prevalence of these disturbances. The EMBASE, PsychINFO, PubMed/MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Web of Science and retrieved article reference lists were rigorously searched and rated for quality. Random effects meta-analysis was performed to compute estimates.

Recent Findings

The current meta-analysis revealed an alarming estimated pooled prevalence of poor sleep quality (K = 95, N = 54894) of 55.64% [95%CI 51.45%; 59.74%]. A total of 33.32% [95%CI 26.52%; 40.91%] of the students (K = 28, N = 10122) experienced excessive sleepiness during the day. The average sleep duration for medical students (K = 35, N = 18052) is only 6.5 h per night [95%CI 6.24; 6.64], which suggests that at least 30% of them get less sleep than the recommended 7-9 h per night.

Summary

Sleep issues are common among medical students, making them a genuine problem. Future research should focus on prevention and intervention initiatives aimed at these groups.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40675-023-00258-5.

Online risky behavior and sleep quality among Chinese college students: The chain mediating role of rumination and anxiety

This study explored the chain mediating effects of rumination and anxiety in the relationship between online risky behavior and sleep quality among Chinese college students. A sample of 1039 Chinese college students (Mage = 19.49, SD = 1.14, 53.32% males) were investigated with Online Risky Behavior Scale (ORBS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scale (PSQI), Ruminative Responses Scale (RRS) and Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). The results showed that: (1) There is a significant positive correlation among online risky behavior, sleep quality, rumination and anxiety, and (2) Online risky behavior could not directly affect sleep quality, but it can affect sleep quality through the mediation of rumination and anxiety. The chain mediating effects includes three paths: The mediating role of rumination, the mediating role of anxiety, and the chain mediating role of rumination and anxiety after controlling for gender, grade, major, and network usage time. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how online risky behavior affects sleep quality and provide important practical guidance for improving sleep quality.

Social Networks Consumption and Addiction in College Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Educational Approach to Responsible Use

Within the framework of digital sustainability, the increase in Internet consumption, and especially online social networks, offers social benefits, but is not without its drawbacks. For example, it can lead to psychological and/or psychiatric disorders in some people. Numerous researches are highlighting the similarities of these addictions with the consumption of toxic substances. University students are heavy users of the Internet and, in certain situations, addiction to online social networks can be the result of depression, harassment, and anxiety, among others, affecting their daily life, including their academic responsibilities. In recent months, an anomaly has occurred that may have contributed to intensifying this problem, namely the confinement produced by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected the whole world to a greater or lesser extent. In this cross-sectional study, with a descriptive and quantitative methodology, students from 14 Spanish universities were investigated in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in order to understand the effects of this situation on the problem described. The results show a high consumption of social networks during that time, with significant incidences of addiction. In parallel, the presence of comorbidity has been determined. In this scenario, it would be necessary to implement university educational programs to redirect these addictive behaviors, as well as preventative recommendations and actions to minimize negative impacts. This is a major problem that is growing, exacerbated by the global pandemic produced by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Situations of this gravity call for the development of preventive and educational measures for the responsible and sustainable use of ICT.

Determinants of Subjective Poor Sleep Quality in Social Media Users Among Freshman College Students

INTRODUCTION

Social media (SM) usage has increased markedly among young adults. It is linked to poor sleep quality (PSQ), a risk factor for mental and physical health concerns. This study identified the determinants of PSQ in SM users among freshman college students.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A cross-sectional design was used and 842 students completed a self-administered questionnaire. Analyses were performed using the χ ² test to examine differences in the characteristics of poor and good sleepers and logistic regression to estimate the risk of PSQ with reference to SM usage patterns.

RESULTS

Around 75.40% (n = 635) of the participants had PSQ. There was a significant difference in the PSQ rate between males (66.3%) and females (79.3%, p < 0.001), those who were physically active (67.2%) and those who were not (82.4%, p < 0.001), those who were mentally depressed (86.5%) and those who were not (61.5%, p < 0.001), and those with anxiety (87.8%) and those without (64.3%, p < 0.001). The risk of PSQ was lower among students who used SM for education (OR = 0.65, CI = 0.42 to 0.99, p = 0.048), had higher laptop usage (OR = 0.67, CI = 0.47 to 0.96, p = 0.03), and had higher SM usage during daytime (OR = 0.46, CI = 0.32 to 0.67, p < 0.001). The risk of PSQ was higher among those who reported SM usage at bedtime (OR = 1.69, CI = 1.01 to 2.81, p = 0.046).

DISCUSSION

Among SM users, PSQ was related to sociodemographic features, lifestyle characteristics, and health-risk factors. Further research is required to confirm these findings.