The relationship between environmental stress and sleep quality in patients admitted to the intensive care unit for stroke : Sleep disturbance mediating effect

Purpose : The aim of this research was to identify the mediating effect of sleep disturbance on the relationship between environmental stress and sleep quality in stroke patients admitted to the stroke intensive care unit. Method : The participants in the study were 99 patients, the analysis was based on Baron and Kenny’s model to examine the mediating effects of sleep disturbance on the relationship between environmental stress and sleep quality of stroke patients. Result : In the first and second step, environmental stress was identified as a significant predictor of sleep disturbance (β＝.45, p＜.001) and sleep quality (β＝-.32, p＝.001). In the third step, sleep disturbance (β＝-.23, p＝.001) was observed as a significants predictor of sleep quality, and the direct relationship between environmental stress and sleep quality was significant (β＝-.22, p＝.001). Sleep disturbance was found to exhibit a complete mediating effect on the relationship between environmental stress and sleep quality. Conclusion : The result of this study suggests that strategies for managing the sleep quality of stroke patients should include effective ways to manage environmental stress and sleep disturbance.