Abstract

Introduction: Sleep is a major health indicator, fundamental for normal functioning and daily performance. A poor sleep quality has an impact on overall health, generating long-term negative effects in young people. Dentistry is one of the most demanding careers within the health area, where students often change their sleep habits and schedules to fulfill their duties. Therefore, they are considered a high-risk group for poor sleep quality and developing physical and mental problems. This study aimed to describe the sleep quality of a group of dentistry students from Universidad de Concepción, Chile. Materials and methods: A self-reported questionnaire including questions on demographics, sleep environment and the Pittsburgh Sleep Questionnaire Index (psqi), was distributed online among undergraduate dentistry students. A total of 150 students answered after providing informed consent. Results: Seventy-two percent of students (n=108) reported poor sleep quality, with a mean psqi score of 7.8 (de=3.3). Worst sleep quality was reported on woman and students from first year. Relevant differences were observed when analyzing components and mean psqi score according to senior year school, university financing, safety of their neighborhood, high noise level during sleep time, healthcare insurance and employment. Conclusion: Dentistry students from Universidad de Concepción reported a poor sleep quality. Socioeconomic status and sleep environment are relevant when evaluating sleep quality and habits in this group.