Assessment of Gastrointestinal, Sleep Problems, and Their Impact on Quality of Life of Rural Populations in Tertiary Care Hospitals in Lahore
Keywords:
Sleep Disorders, Quality of Life, Gastrointestinal Disorders,, Tertiary Care, Rural Populations, Socio-Economic FactorsAbstract
Gastrointestinal (GI) and sleep disorders are two of the most prevalent health problems in the world. In rural settings, the impact of these disorders is compounded by economic factors, access to healthcare, and culturally held beliefs about health. The two-way interplay between GI disorders and insomnia and their joint contribution to quality of life (QoL) is especially under-explored in rural settings. This study examines the burden of GI disorders and related sleep problems on QoL among residents in rural areas who are planning to visit tertiary care hospitals in Lahore. It also outlines the demographic and socio-economic factors most likely to have the greatest influence on the deteriorating impact of these disorders on QoL. A cross-sectional quantitative study design was employed to collect data from 200 participants aged above 18 years residing in the rural area surrounding tertiary care hospitals in Lahore; fifty potential participants were excluded out of those selected due to incomplete questionnaires or not fulfilling the inclusion criteria. Thus, the final analysis was conducted on 150 samples. Participants were selected through systematic random sampling, and the WHOQOL-BREF, PSQI, and GSRS were administered. The information was analyzed using IBM SPSS 27 software, applying Spearman's rank correlation and the Mann-Whitney U test. The study concluded that GI disorders significantly correlate with sleep quality (rs = 0.165, p < 0.05). There was also a significant inverse association between QoL and sleep quality (rs = -0.572, p < 0.001). Age, marital status, educational status, and employment significantly impacted QoL. Residents from rural areas reported lower QoL than those residing in urban areas (p = 0.048). The correlation between gastrointestinal symptoms and sleep disturbances provides empirical support for gut-brain axis mechanisms previously described in the literature. The research highlights that GI and sleep disorders profoundly affect QoL, especially in rural populations. The data indicate that addressing GI and sleep disorders simultaneously could improve health outcomes. The research demonstrates how healthcare deficits combine with the rural population's specific socio-economic and cultural factors, advocating for comprehensive approaches to improve integrated care and better QoL
Downloads
References
Ford AC, Mahadeva S, Carbone MF, Lacy BE, Talley NJ. Functional dyspepsia. Lancet. 2020;396(10263):1689-702.
Huang G, Lee TY, Banda KJ, Pien LC, Jen HJ, Chen R, et al. Prevalence of sleep disorders among first responders for medical emergencies: A meta-analysis. J Glob Health. 2022;12:04092.
Sievers LC. Sleep-Related Problems, Sleep-Related Distress, and Sleep-Related Functional Status Among Adult Inpatients Receiving Palliative Care [dissertation]. 2021.
Lin Z, Jiang T, Chen M, Ji X, Wang Y. Gut microbiota and sleep: interaction mechanisms and therapeutic prospects. Open Life Sci. 2024;19(1):20220910.
Orr WC, Fass R, Sundaram SS, Scheimann AO. The effect of sleep on gastrointestinal functioning in common digestive diseases. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020;5(6):616-24.
Sperber AD, Bangdiwala SI, Drossman DA, Ghoshal UC, Simren M, Tack J, et al. Worldwide prevalence and burden of functional gastrointestinal disorders, results of Rome Foundation Global Study. Gastroenterology. 2021;160(1):99-114.
Ramos AR, Wheaton AG, Johnson DA. Sleep deprivation, sleep disorders, and chronic disease. Prev Chronic Dis. 2023;20:230197.
Du Y, Wang M, Wang Y, Dou Y, Yan Y, Fan H, et al. The association between dietary quality, sleep duration, and depression symptoms in the general population: findings from a cross-sectional NHANES study. BMC Public Health. 2024;24(1):2588.
Jang SH, Choi SC, Kim YS, Ryu HS, Lee SY, Bahk WM. Psychological characteristics and quality of life of patients with upper and lower functional gastrointestinal disorders. J Clin Med. 2022;12(1):124.
Nye J. Psychological Burden in Patients With Distressing GI Complaints and Somatic Symptom Disorder. Psychiatry Advisor. 2021.
Yan W, Zhou J, Jiang M, Kong Y, Qin H, Qi Y, et al. Obstructive sleep apnea and 19 gastrointestinal diseases: a mendelian randomization study. Front Psychiatry. 2024;15:1256116.
Ali A, Manzoor MF, Ahmad N, Aadil RM, Qin H, Siddique R, et al. The burden of cancer, government strategic policies, and challenges in Pakistan: A comprehensive review. Front Nutr. 2022;9:940514.
Lail G, Hanif FM, Lail A, Haque MM, Tasneem AA, Luck NH. Factors influencing quality of life in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease in a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak. 2019;29(9):882-5.
Shahzad H, Hussain MM, Abid A, Sattar S, Imtiaz B, Abid S. Impact of gastrointestinal diseases on health-related quality of life of patients in Pakistan. Cureus. 2021;13(8).
Mohammed AA, Moustafa HA, Nour-Eldein H, Saudi RA. Association of anxiety-depressive disorders with irritable bowel syndrome among patients attending a rural family practice center: a comparative cross-sectional study. Gen Psychiatry. 2021;34(6).
Söderquist F, Syk M, Just D, Kurbalija Novicic Z, Rasmusson AJ, Hellström PM, et al. A cross-sectional study of gastrointestinal symptoms, depressive symptoms and trait anxiety in young adults. BMC Psychiatry. 2020;20:1-10.
Kazmi T, Nagi MLF, Razzaq S, Hussnain S, Shahid N, Athar U. Burden of noncommunicable diseases in Pakistan. East Mediterr Health J. 2022;28(11):798-804.
Fatima R, Malik AF, Shahnawaz J, Khan L, Ahsan I, Fatima S. Prevalence and risk factors of uninvestigated dyspepsia, IBS and GERD among medical students of Rawalpindi Medical University, a cross-sectional study. J Public Health Community Med. 2025;4(3):93-93.
Khan TM, Jamil M, Dhillon AI, Umer MJ, Ahmed MMH, Arsh L, et al. Prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea and factors affecting it among old age population of rural area of Pakistan. Eur J Med Health Sci. 2021;3(1):95-98.
Sperber AD, Bangdiwala SI, Drossman DA, Ghoshal UC, Simren M, Tack J, et al. Worldwide prevalence and burden of functional gastrointestinal disorders, results of Rome Foundation Global Study. Gastroenterology. 2021;160(1):99-114.
Yan W, Zhou J, Jiang M, Kong Y, Qin H, Qi Y, et al. Obstructive sleep apnea and 19 gastrointestinal diseases: a mendelian randomization study. Front Psychiatry. 2024;15:1256116.
Weeks WB, Chang JE, Pagán JA, Lumpkin J, Michael D, Salcido S, et al. Rural-urban disparities in health outcomes, clinical care, health behaviors, and social determinants of health and an action-oriented, dynamic tool for visualizing them. PLoS Glob Public Health. 2023;3(10):e0002420.
Ramos AR, Wheaton AG, Johnson DA. Sleep deprivation, sleep disorders, and chronic disease. Prev Chronic Dis. 2023;20:230197.
Mohammed AA, Moustafa HA, Nour-Eldein H, Saudi RA. Association of anxiety-depressive disorders with irritable bowel syndrome among patients attending a rural family practice center: a comparative cross-sectional study. Gen Psychiatry. 2021;34(6).
Axelrod CH, Saps M. Global dietary patterns and functional gastrointestinal disorders. Children. 2020;7(10):152.
Singh MM. Integrative Approaches to Managing Gut Health. Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2024;1-9.
Du Y, Wang M, Wang Y, Dou Y, Yan Y, Fan H, et al. The association between dietary quality, sleep duration, and depression symptoms in the general population: findings from a cross-sectional NHANES study. BMC Public Health. 2024;24(1):2588.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
Terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
