Status quo of sleep quality and stress load of students from a college during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

ABSTRACT

[Background] The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 has brought many adverse effects on the study, daily life, graduation, and job hunting of college students. Research data related to the sleep quality and stress load of college students are insufficient in the context of pandemic prevention and control. [Objective] This study investigates college students' sleep quality and stress load during the coronavirus disease pandemic, and provide evidence for adjusting their sleep quality and stress load. [Methods] Using convenience sampling method, college students from a university in Zhejiang Province were asked to complete the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Stress Overload Scale (SOS) on Wenjuanxing, an online questionnaire survey platform. There were 932 valid questionnaires out of 1 000 questionnaires recovered, and the valid recovery rate was 93.20%. The PSQI and SOS scores were analyzed by t test and analysis of variance respectively, the correlation by Pearson correlation analysis, and the factors affecting the sleep quality of college students by multiple logistic regression analysis. [Results] The respondents' PSQI score (7.90±2.88) was higher than that of the domestic university student norm during non-pandemic period (5.11±3.22, n=733) (t=10.34, P < 0.001). Moreover, 402 students showed a total PSQI score ≤ 7 (good sleep quality) (43.13%), and 530 students' score >7 (poor sleep quality) (56.87%). The respondents' SOS score was 70.41±9.87, including 265 high-stress (highest risk) students (28.43%), 229 challenged (low risk) (24.57%), 233 fragile (low risk) (25.00%), and 205 low-stress (lowest risk) (22.00%). The PSQI score and SOS score varied among the college students across different grades (both P < 0.001), and between those from severely or non-severely inflicted areas (both P < 0.001). With the increase of SOS score, PSQI score increased, and there was a positive correlation between them (r=0.542, P < 0.001). The multiple logistic regression analysis results showed that students from severe epidemic areas, sophomores to seniors, and students with high stress load showed poor sleep quality during the pandemic (all P < 0.001). [Conclusion] During the pandemic, the college students' sleep quality is low, and the greater their pressure load, the worse their sleep quality. Whether they come from a severely affected area, grade, and stress load are important factors affecting their sleep quality in the context of the current pandemic.