SLEEP QUALITY AMONG CANCER PATIENTS IN A TERTIARY CARE CENTRE, TAMIL NADU – A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Background:Cancer is a significant public health concern worldwide due to its prevalence, impact on individuals and communities, and economic burden. It is one of the leading causes of death globally, with millions of new cases diagnosed each year. Cancer and its treatment can disturb sleep patterns and lead to insomnia, fatigue, and other sleep disturbances. Poor sleep quality can further impact the immune system, recovery, and quality of life for cancer patients. Objective: To assess the quality of sleep among cancer patients in a tertiary care centre. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among cancer patients in a tertiary care centre, in Tamil Nadu. Data was collected from 30 participants' diagnosed cases of cancer on treatment attending the Oncology OPD using a semi-structured questionnaire. Sleep quality among participants was assessed using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire. Results: Out of 30 study participants, 40% were males and 60 % were females. The mean age of participants was 52.7±13.43 yrs. Among the study participants, 17 (56.7%) rated their overall subjective sleep quality as fairly good & and 3(10%) of them had a very bad sleep. According to PSQI, 14 (46.7%) participants had an overall sleep quality score of ≤ 5, and 16 (53.3%) with a score of>5. The mean overall Global PSQI score was found to be 6.23± 4.3, with a mean score of 6.33± 4.2 in males and 6.08± 4.5 in females respectively. Conclusion: The present study reveals that half of cancer patients had poor sleep quality. They also complained about sleep disturbances like irritability and anxiety