Association of diet and sleep quality with the quality of life of nurses in a selected hospital in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Nurses often work under demanding conditions, including shift duties, which can result in poor dietary habits and inadequate sleep. Both factors are known to influence overall health and job performance. This research explores the relationship between these factors and nurses’ physical and mental well-being, contributing valuable insights into their professional and personal health challenges. This study focused on the association between diet and sleep quality and the quality of life of nurses at the Base Hospital Karawanella. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 146 nurses recruited using convenience sampling at the Base Hospital Karawanella. Data were collected through a pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire that assessed socio-demographic details, diet quality using the Diet Quality Questionnaire (DQ-Q), sleep quality through the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and quality of life using 36- Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and chisquare tests in SPSS v25.0. The majority were female (95%, Male: Female - 1:20) and married (97%), with most aged 35–44 years (61%). Most participants held a nursing diploma (73%), had 11–15 years of experience (29%), and were above the normal BMI range, categorised as overweight, obese, or severely obese (48.7%). Most of the nurses demonstrated moderate diet quality (82%). Diet quality scores ranged from 5 to 23, with a mean of 12.41±3.2. The mean sleep quality score was 5.45±2.47, with 52% reporting poor sleep. Overall, quality of life scores were moderate (53.06±9.3). Chi-square analysis revealed a significant association between diet quality and overall quality of life (p = 0.049). Sleep quality showed no significant association with quality of life (p = 0.440) among this population. The study underscores the need for workplace interventions aimed at improving dietary practices to enhance nurses’ quality of life and promote healthcare outcomes at the Base Hospital Karawanella.