Sleep quality among orthopaedic patients in Denmark - A nationwide cross-sectional study

Hospitalised patients sleep less and have a lower quality of sleep compared to patients who recover in their own home. Low sleep quality is associated with complications such as increased pain sensation, delirium and reduced rehabilitation capacity.

To investigate patients' self-reported sleep quality and factors related to sleep quality during admission to a department of Orthopaedic Surgery.

The Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire was used to assess patients' sleep quality, measured using a VAS 0-100 scale, (a higher score indicating good sleep quality). The moderated Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index assessed the most severe and frequent barriers to high sleep quality.

A total of 533 patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery participated. There was an overall mean sleep quality score of 54. The most common and severe factors impacting sleep quality were; waking during the night, difficulties falling asleep, waking early, waking for toileting or pain. The intensity of the pain was found to be proportional to the quality of sleep.

Patients reported their overall quality of sleep to be moderately good due to difficulties falling asleep, waking up during the night or early morning and having pain. The results call for better pain management and non-pharmacological nursing interventions to optimise sleep quality.