Sleep Deprivation and its associated factors among general ward patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Pakistan

ABSTRACT

To estimate the occurrence rate of sleep deprivation and to identify the environmental, staff-related and patient-related factors associated with SD among general ward patients of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. In a cross-sectional study, a pre-tested questionnaire was administered to 108 patients admitted into the general medical and general surgical wards of Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. In all, 50 [46.3%] respondents felt deprived of adequate sleep in the hospital. Worry about illness disturbed the night-time sleep of 47 [43.5%] patients; most of these had SD [70%] [p<0.001]. Other patients' noise disturbed 31.5% of study subjects and a significant majority [68%] of these had SD [p=0.003]. Over 17% of study subjects reported cell phone's ringing as a disturbing factor; more by those with SD [68%] compared to those with no SD [32%]; again the difference was significant [p=0.003]. Physical discomfort and presence of cannula were reported as disturbing factors by 41.7% and 28.7% of the study subjects respectively but these were not significantly associated with SD. Our study revealed that sleep deprivation occurs commonly among general ward patients in tertiary care setting. Factors found to be associated with SD were amenable to modification to a greater extent