ERIC Number: EJ1086822
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1932-5037
EISSN: N/A
Association of Stress, General Health, and Alcohol Use with Poor Sleep Quality among U.S. College Students
Valerio, Teresa D.; Kim, Myoung Jin; Sexton-Radek, Kathy
American Journal of Health Education, v47 n1 p17-23 2016
Background: Poor sleep among college students is a major, growing problem associated with lower academic performance, higher rates of health and emotional problems, and development of chronic sleep disorders. Purpose: Though previous studies have focused on individual colleges, our study purpose was to reveal the association of behaviors and function to sleep quality in a large sample of students from across the United States. Methods: We analyzed data from the Fall 2009 American College Health Association's National College Health Assessment-II survey using descriptive statistics, independent sample t tests, chi-square tests, and logistic regression to find a representative, matched sample of 14,870 college students, both with and without a sleep problem, measured by daytime sleepiness. Results: Our correlational analysis revealed that sleep quality decreased with increasing levels of stress or alcohol/cigarette use and with decreasing levels of general health (all Ps < 0.001). Discussion: College interventions should include efforts to address sleep quality to improve students' academic performance and long-term quality of life, especially for students experiencing substantial stress or poor general health. Translation to Health Education Practice: Educators, advisors, and leaders should incorporate sleep quality improvements into their services and programs for all students, especially students in at-risk groups.
Descriptors: Sleep, College Students, Stress Variables, Drinking, Physical Health, Student Surveys, Statistical Analysis, Correlation, Smoking, Intervention, At Risk Students, National Surveys, Health Behavior, Predictor Variables, Student Characteristics, Multivariate Analysis, Regression (Statistics)
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A