What prevents patients sleeping on an acute medical ward? An actigraphy and qualitative sleep study
RIS ID
138125
Abstract
Objectives: Poor and fragmented sleep is a common problem amongst patients hospitalized on medical wards, and is associated with a number of poor outcomes. The present study aimed to objectively measure night-time sleep duration and efficiency in an acute medical ward, and to identify barriers to sleep in this setting. Methods: Fifty-four consecutive patients on an acute medical ward were observed with wearable actigraphy devices for one night, then administered the Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire and a semi-qualitative questionnaire to determine the major barriers to sleep. Results: Patients had a wide variety of reasons for admission. Mean overnight sleep duration was 4.6 hours, with mean sleep efficiency 63%. The Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire mean was 52/100, indicating poor quality sleep. Major barriers to sleep identified were the need to urinate, pain, noise, and light. Conclusions: A mixture of environmental and illness-related factors contribute to poor sleep in the hospital setting. Further research looking at ameliorating these factors may improve sleep and recovery in this population.
Publication Details
Macfarlane, M., Rajapakse, S. & Loughran, S. (2019). What prevents patients sleeping on an acute medical ward? An actigraphy and qualitative sleep study. Sleep Health, 5 (6), 666-669.