Factors associated with poor sleep quality in the Korean general population: Providing information from the Korean version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders 2020-06, Vol.271, p.49-58
• Main Authors: Lee, Soon Young, Ju, Yeong Jun, Lee, Joo Eun, Kim, Young Taek, Hong, Seung Chul, Choi, Yun Jung, Song, Min Kyoung, Kim, Hye Yun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; General population; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nationwide sample; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; Poor sleep quality; Republic of Korea - epidemiology; Sleep; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders - epidemiology; Sleep Wake Disorders - epidemiology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.03.069

•Our findings from the nationwide sample should be of significant benefit to the literature on sleep quality.•The PSQI seems to be a suitable instrument for assessing self-reported sleep quality in the Korean general population.•Poor socio-demographic status, poor health behaviors, and poor mental health were associated with poor sleep quality.•Poor sleep quality is highly prevalent in females.•The sex differences in sleep quality remain to be elucidated, and further studies are required to address this. Recently, studies have been conducted to address the research gap in the understanding of poor-quality sleep and its relationship to health outcomes, through the evaluation of sleep quality. The aim of this study was to provide information regarding poor sleep quality based on a nationwide general population sample in Korea. We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from a nationwide sample of 165,193 individuals (males: 44%) aged 19 years or older from the 2018 Korea Community Health Survey. The age range of the participants was 19–107 years (mean: 55.3 ± 17.5). The Korean version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used for assessing sleep quality. Poor sleep quality was defined as a total PSQI score of >5. The overall prevalence of poor sleepers was 41.0% (males: 35.6%; females: 46.2%). Poor sociodemographic status (illiteracy, low income, and unemployment), poor health behaviors (smoking, high-risk drinking, diabetes, hypertension, non-participation in walking, and obesity), and poor mental health (perceived poor health status, stress, depressive symptoms, and subjective cognitive decline) were all associated with poor sleep quality in both males and females. As this study relies on self-reported and cross-sectional data, causal inferences cannot be made. Poor sleep quality is highly prevalent in females. In addition, poor socio-demographic status, poor health behaviors, and poor mental health were associated with poor sleep quality. The mechanisms underlying sex differences in sleep quality remain to be elucidated, and further studies are required to address this.