Evaluation of Sleep Habits, Generalized Anxiety, Perceived Stress, and Research Outputs Among Postgraduate Research Students in Hong Kong During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic

Abstract

Shahnawaz Anwer,1,2 Heng Li,2 Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari,3 Mohammad Abu Shaphe,4 Ahmad Alghadir,1 Arnold YL Wong5 1Rehabilitation Research Chair, College of Applied Medical Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Building and Real Estate, Faculty of Construction and Environment, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; 3Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK; 4Department of Physical Therapy, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative RegionCorrespondence: Shahnawaz Anwer Email [email protected]: The current study aimed to evaluate the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on sleep hygiene, anxiety levels, perceived stress, and research output among postgraduate research students in Hong Kong.Methods: An online survey was developed and distributed to Hong Kong postgraduate research students. The sleep hygiene, anxiety levels, and perceived stress during the outbreak of COVID-19 were assessed. Questions about COVID-19’s impact on research outputs were asked.Results: A total of 108 (response rate, 72%) full-time postgraduate students (PhD, 64%; M Phil, 8%; and Masters, 28%) participated. Approximately 83% of students reported poor sleep hygiene. Similarly, nearly 76% of students reported mild to severe levels of self-perceived anxiety levels. Most of the respondents (89%) expressed a moderate level of perceived stress. Sleep hygiene scores were moderately associated with anxiety levels (r = 0.384, p < 0.01) and perceived stress scores (r = 0.423, p < 0.01). Perceived stress was strongly correlated with anxiety levels (r = 0.601, p < 0.01). A hierarchical regression analysis revealed a significant association between respondents’ ethnicity (B = − 0.923, p = 0.003), past medical history (such as hypertension, diabetes, and musculoskeletal disorders) (B = 1.112, p = 0.005), or poor sleep hygiene (B = 0.259, p = 0.000) and high levels of perceived stress. Additionally, prior medical history (such as hypertension, diabetes, and musculoskeletal disorders) (B = 1.957, p = 0.001) and poor sleep hygiene (B = 0.312, p = 0.000) were found to be strongly related to anxiety levels among postgraduate research students.Conclusion: This is the first study that highlights poor sleep hygiene, moderate-to-severe levels of anxiety, and perceived stress during the COVID-19 pandemic in postgraduate research students in Hong Kong. These findings will help educators to prepare strategies to alleviate the stress and psychological problems in postgraduate students.Keywords: coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic, postgraduate students, research, anxiety, sleep hygiene, stress

Keywords

• coronavirus
• covid-19 pandemic
• postgraduate students
• research
• anxiety
• sleep hygiene
• stress