POOR SLEEP, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AMONG HEALTH SCIENCES AND MARITIME STUDENTS

Abstract

Aim of the study was to evaluate the presence of poor sleep, depression and anxiety, according to the students’ gender, age, year of studying and institution. Methods. The study sample consisted of 400 Klaipeda State University of Applied Sciences students (96.8% female) and 393 The Lithuanian Maritime Academy students (78.9% male), from 18 to 46 years of age. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used for subjective sleep quality evaluation. Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale was used to identify depression and anxiety. PSQI score ≤ 5 was evaluated as good sleep quality; > 5 – poor sleep. HAD score from 0 to 7 was evaluated as no depression or anxiety, score >7 indicated depression and/or anxiety. Results. Lithuanian Maritime Academy students had significantly lower prevalence of poor sleep, as compared to the students of the Faculty of Health Sciences, 38.8% vs 61.2%, p<0.001. The students of Lithuanian Maritime Academy had significantly lower anxiety score, as compared to the students of Health Sciences, 7.45 vs 8.63, p<0.001. Anxiety was higher (8.94) among the students older than 22 years, as compared to 18-19 years old ones (7.17), p<0.001, also among third year students (9.17), as compared to the first one (7.25). Conclusions. Health sciences students more frequently, as compared to maritime students, had poor sleep or anxiety. Depression and anxiety scores were higher in female, older and studying third year students. KEYWORDS: poor sleep, anxiety, depression, students, health sciences, maritime. DOI:  http://dx.doi.org/ 10.15181/atee.v1i0.1313