Effects of sleep quality on the association between problematic internet use and quality of life in people with substance use disorder
Mohsen Saffari,
Hsin-Pao Chen,
Ching-Wen Chang,
Chia-Wei Fan,
Shih-Wei Huang,
Jung-Sheng Chen,
Kun-Chia Chang,
Chung-Ying Lin
Affiliations
Mohsen Saffari
Health Research Center, Lifestyle Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; and Health Education Department, School of Health, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Hsin-Pao Chen
Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, E-Da Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; and School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Ching-Wen Chang
Graduate Institute of Social Work, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
Chia-Wei Fan
Department of Occupational Therapy, AdventHealth University, Florida, USA
Shih-Wei Huang
Institute of Environmental Toxin and Emerging Contaminant, Cheng Shiu University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; and Center for Environmental Toxin and Emerging-Contaminant Research, Cheng Shiu University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Jung-Sheng Chen
Department of Medical Research, E-Da Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Kun-Chia Chang
Department of General Psychiatry, Jianan Psychiatric Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Tainan, Taiwan; and Department of Natural Biotechnology, Nan Hua University, Chiayi, Taiwan
Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Biostatistics Consulting Center, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; and Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
Background Problematic internet use, especially in people with substance use disorder, may negatively affect their quality of life (QoL). However, it is unclear whether sleep quality is a key mediator in the association between problematic internet use and QoL among people with substance use disorder. Aims This study aimed to investigate the relationship between problematic internet use and QoL and how sleep quality may mediate the association between these two variables. Method Overall, 319 people (85% male) with substance use disorder (mean age 42.2 years, s.d. 8.9) participated in a cross-sectional study in Taiwan. The Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale, Bergan Social Media Addiction Scale, Internet Gaming Disorder-Short Form, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire Brief Version were used. Results The prevalence of sleep problems was 56%. There were significant and direct associations between sleep quality and two types of problematic internet use, and between sleep quality and different dimensions of QoL. All types of problematic internet use were significantly and negatively correlated with QoL. Mediated effects of sleep quality in relationships between the different types of problematic internet use and all dimensions of QoL were significant, except for problematic use of social media. Conclusions Different types of problematic internet use in people with substance use disorder may be directly associated with reduced QoL. Sleep quality as a significant mediator in this association may be an underlying mechanism to explain pathways between problematic internet use and QoL in this population.