Determinants of poor sleep quality in adults during the coronavirus disease pandemic: COVID-Inconfidentes, a population-based study

Sao Paulo Med J. 2022 Oct 28;141(4):e2022139. doi: 10.1590/1516-3180.2022.0139.R1.19082022. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has adversely affected the health of the global population, with sleep quality being one of the affected parameters.

Objectives: To evaluate sleep quality and its associated factors in adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.

Design and setting: A population-based cross-sectional serological survey of 1,762 adults in the Iron Quadrangle region of Brazil.

Methods: The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to assess sleep quality. Sociodemographic variables, health conditions, health-related behaviors, anxiety, vitamin D levels, weight gain/loss, and pandemic characteristics were assessed using a structured questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate analyses using Poisson regression with robust variance were performed to identify factors associated with sleep quality.

Results: More than half of the participants reported poor sleep quality (52.5%). Multivariate analysis revealed that the factors associated with poor sleep quality included living alone (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.34; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04-1.73), anxiety disorder (PR = 1.32; 95% CI: 1.08-1.62), 5.0% weight loss (PR = 1.21; 95% CI: 1.02-1.44), 5.0% weight gain (PR = 1.27; 95% CI: 1.03-1.55), vitamin D deficiency (PR = 1.16; 95% CI: 1.01-1.35), and COVID-19 symptoms (PR = 1.29; 95% CI: 1.10-1.52).

Conclusions: Our study revealed that more than half of the participants experienced poor sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic. Factors associated with poor sleep quality included vitamin D deficiency and weight changes related to the pandemic.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Depression / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Pandemics
  • Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders*
  • Sleep Quality