Date of Graduation

5-2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Biological Sciences

Advisor/Mentor

Baum, Jamie

Committee Member/Reader

Douglas, Michael

Committee Member/Second Reader

DuRant, Sarah

Committee Member/Third Reader

Plavcan, Joseph M.

Abstract

Sleep quality has effects on both physical and mental health. Because of this, sleep hygiene is an important health goal. Participation in health programs promoting healthy behaviors has helped people reach their health goals and elicited positive behavior change. Because of this, it was of interest to determine if participation in a virtual, multi-media health education program improved health and wellbeing outcomes of Arkansans. The main objective of this study was to determine the effect of a 20-week behavior and health educational program on the ability of participants to achieve their health goals and improve their health behaviors related to sleep quality. Other aspects of health such as emotional states (depression, anxiety, and stress) over time in the program were also measured. The study used data from surveys taken at 0 weeks, 10 weeks, and 20 weeks to determine changes in sleep quality and emotional states. Sixty-eight people in total participated in the study. Out of the 68 participants, only 17 completed the required survey at all three time points for sleep quality data. Out of 68 total participants, only 19, 18, and 17 participants finished the portions of the survey for depression, anxiety, and stress scores, respectively, at all three times. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and emotional states were measured by the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS). A higher sleep quality score indicates poorer sleep quality. Although the mean sleep quality score decreased over the course of the program, the relationship between duration of participation in the program and sleep quality score was not found to be significant. The relationship between duration of participation in the program and emotional state was not found to be significant. Although there was no association found between participation in a health educational program and on sleep quality, more research is still needed with a larger sample size.

Keywords

Health promotion; health education; sleep quality; healthier habits

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