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Nocturnal sleep problems among university students from 26 countries

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Abstract

Background

The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of nocturnal sleeping problems and its associated factors among university students in mainly low- and middle-income countries.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 20,222 undergraduate university students (mean age, 20.8; SD = 2. 8) from 27 universities in 26 countries across Asia, Africa and the Americas.

Results

Overall, 10.4 % reported severe or extreme nocturnal sleeping problems (male, 10.2 %; female, 10.5 %) in the past month. Noctural sleeping problems differed by country, from 32.9 % in Indonesia to 3.0 % in Thailand among Asian countries, from 13.7 % in Mauritius to 7.5 % in South Africa, and from 11.8 % in Jamaica to 6.1 % in Columbia in the Americas. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, coming from a poor family background, staying off campus (on their own or with parents or guardians), stress (history of child sexual abuse), poor mental health (depression and PTSD symptoms), health risk behaviour (tobacco use, heavy internet use, gambling, skipping breakfast and having sustained an injury), lack of social support and poor academic performance were associated with nocturnal sleeping problems.

Conclusions

A significant prevalence of past-month nocturnal sleeping problems was found. Potential factors associated with the risk of reporting sleeping complaints were identified, which may assist in prevention strategies to promote a better quality of sleep.

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Acknowledgments

Partial funding for this study was provided by the South African Department of Higher Education. The following colleagues participated in this student health survey and contributed to data collection (locations of universities in parentheses)—Bangladesh: Gias Uddin Ahsan (Dhaka); Barbados: T. Alafia Samuels (Bridgetown); Cameroon: Jacques Philippe Tsala Tsala (Yaounde); China: Tony Yung and Xiaoyan Xu (Hong Kong and Chengdu); Colombia: Carolina Mantilla (Pamplona); Egypt: Alaa Abou-Zeid (Cairo); Grenada: Omowale Amuleru-Marshall (St. George); India: Krishna Mohan (Visakhapatnam); Indonesia: Indri Hapsari Susilowati (Jakarta); Ivory Coast: Issaka Tiembre (Abidjan); Jamaica: Caryl James (Kingston); Kyrgyzstan: Erkin M Mirrakhimov (Bishkek); Laos: Vanphanom Sychareun (Vientiane); Madagascar: Onya H Rahamefy (Antananarivo); Mauritius: Hemant Kumar Kassean (Réduit, Moka); Namibia: Pempelani Mufune (Windhook); Nigeria: Solu Olowu (Ile-Ife); Pakistan: Rehana Reman (Karachi); Philippines: Alice Ferrer (Miagao); Russia: Alexander Gasparishvili (Moscow); Singapore: Mee Lian Wong (Singapore); South Africa: Tholene Sodi (Polokwane); Thailand: Tawatchai Apidechkul (Chiang Rai); Tunesia: Hajer Aounallah-Skhiri (Tunis); Turkey: Neslihan Keser Özcan (Istanbul); and Venezuela: Yajaira M Bastardo (Caracas).

Conflict of interest

This was not an industry-spurted study. The authors have indicated no financial conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ASEAN Institute for Health Development, Mahidol University, Salaya, Phutthamonthon, Nakhonpathom, Thailand, 73170

    Karl Peltzer & Supa Pengpid

  2. University of Limpopo, Turfloop Campus, Sovenga, 0727, South Africa

    Karl Peltzer & Supa Pengpid

  3. HIV, AIDS, TB, and STIs (HAST), Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), Pretoria, 0001, South Africa

    Karl Peltzer

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  1. Karl Peltzer
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Correspondence to Karl Peltzer.

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Peltzer, K., Pengpid, S. Nocturnal sleep problems among university students from 26 countries. Sleep Breath 19, 499–508 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-014-1036-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-014-1036-3

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