Perceived stress and worldview influence sleep quality in Bolivian and United States university students.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated predictors of poor sleep quality among American and Bolivian students. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was designed and administered to undergraduate university students. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Psychology classes from 2 public universities (Texas, USA, and Bolivia) were convenience sampled (n = 80 American students; 60 Bolivian students). MEASUREMENTS: We used a sleep quality index and the Perceived Stress Scale. We added questions concerning worldview, sleep hygiene, sleep deficiency, health behaviors, and demographics. RESULTS: Five variables predicted poor sleep quality: perceived stress, sleep hygiene, sleep deficiency, worldview, and site. Greater stress positively associated with poorer sleep in both cultures. Yet, Bolivian students reported significantly more stress than American students but experienced significantly better sleep quality. Worldview, a measure of optimism or pessimism about the world, negatively associated with sleep quality in both cultures. CONCLUSION: Three variables that predict sleep quality (worldview, sleep hygiene, and sleep deficiency) did not differ significantly between countries. Only perceived stress differed by country but contrary to the predicted direction. Thus, this work reveals new avenues for future work to the investigation of sleep in different cultures. Lastly, we offer recommendations to ameliorate poor sleep in university students.

Assessment of condom use among Bolivian truck drivers through the lens of social cognitive theory.

This study demonstrates that Bolivian long distance truck drivers are a high risk population of HIV infection and transmission, supporting other global studies involving truck drivers and their high risk. The aims of this investigation were to estimate the prevalence of high risk behaviors and to identify predictors of condom use in this population. Analysis was completed on survey results from 246 male truckers (aged 18-67). About one in three of the truck drivers (30%) reported having had a sexually transmitted infection sometime in their past. More than half (56%) reported having sex with casual partners. Other risks involved unprotected anal sex. Age and two social cognitive constructs (outcome expectations and perceived social norms) predicted condom use from logistic regression analysis. The authors discuss the need for expanded HIV/sexually transmitted infection prevention programs that incorporate social cognitions.