Sleep Quality and Disturbances in Tunisia: Insights from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
K. Mahfoudh, S. Hamzaoui, A. Jaoua, M. Mrad, R. Hosni, A. Ouertani, A. Aissa, R. JomliIntroduction
Sleep disorders are increasingly prevalent and often underestimated in the general population. Their consequences include cognitive impairment, mood disturbances, and an increased tendency to self-medicate, particularly in contexts where access to specialized care is limited.
Objectives
This study aims to assess sleep quality and characterize sleep disturbances among a Tunisian population using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).
Methods
A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted between august and november 2024 involving a sample of 287 participants from the general Tunisian population. Data were collected via an online questionnaire, including sociodemographic variables and the validated Arabic version of the PSQI. A PSQI global score ≥6 was considered indicative of poor sleep quality.
Results
The study included a total of 287 participants from the general Tunisian population. The majority of participants (52.96%) were aged between 26 and 35 years, with a gender distribution of 60.98% female. In terms of marital status, 41.81% of participants were single and 39.02% were married. Most participants (88.15%) had a university-level education. Regarding employment status, 65.16% were employed.
The majority of participants reported experiencing sleep disturbances, with the global PSQI score averaging 11.55 ± 3.5. A total of 33.79% of participants scored ≥6 on the PSQI, indicating poor sleep quality.
As for sleep patterns, 49.1% of participants went to bed between 9:00 PM and midnight, while 47.4% went to bed between midnight and 4:00 AM. Regarding wake-up times, 69.7% of participants woke up between 4:00 AM and 8:00 AM, while 24% woke up between 8:00 AM and noon.
Regarding sleep duration, 34.14% of participants reported sleeping between 6 and 7 hours per night, and 30.66% reported sleeping more than 7 hours. However, 13.93% of participants reported sleeping less than 5 hours on average.
Almost half of the participants (55.5%) reported chronic insomnia.
Conclusions
The study highlights the significant prevalence of poor sleep quality and disturbances within the Tunisian population. Addressing these issues could improve public health outcomes, with a focus on enhancing awareness and intervention strategies for better sleep hygiene and management of sleep disorders.
Disclosure of Interest
None Declared