Association between early life second-hand smoke exposure on child sleep and psychoactive substance use on adult sleep patterns in an urban informal settlement in Uganda
2025

Impact of Second-Hand Smoke and Substance Use on Sleep Patterns in Uganda

Sample size: 284 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Wafula Solomon T., Namakula Lydia N., Isunju John B., Mugambe Richard K., Ssekamatte Tonny, Musoke David, Wanyenze Rhoda K.

Primary Institution: Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

Hypothesis

How do psychoactive substance use and second-hand smoke exposure affect sleep disturbances in adults and children in an urban informal settlement in Uganda?

Conclusion

Smoking was linked to insomnia and alcohol use to sleep dissatisfaction in adults, while early-life second-hand smoke exposure increased the risk of sleep-disordered breathing in children.

Supporting Evidence

  • 59.2% of adults reported insufficient sleep.
  • 34.9% of adults experienced insomnia.
  • 28.3% of adults were dissatisfied with their sleep patterns.
  • 40.0% of children exhibited sleep-disordered breathing problems.

Takeaway

Smoking and drinking can make it hard for adults to sleep well, and kids who breathe in smoke from others might have trouble breathing at night.

Methodology

A cross-sectional study was conducted using questionnaires to assess sleep problems and substance use among adults and children.

Potential Biases

Potential non-differential misclassification of exposures due to self-reporting.

Limitations

The study's cross-sectional design limits causal inferences, and self-reported measures may introduce recall bias.

Participant Demographics

Most adult participants were female (85.2%), with a median age of 30 years, and many had post-primary education.

Statistical Information

Confidence Interval

PR = 2.74, 95% CI: 1.14–6.59 for smoking and insomnia; PR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.23–2.69 for alcohol and sleep dissatisfaction.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0312127

Want to read the original?

Access the complete publication on the publisher's website

View Original Publication