Sleep Quality, Depression, Social Support, and Susceptibility to Common Cold in Medical Students

Although common cold is a major cause of morbidity among university students, studies on the risk factors in relation to physical, social, emotional life styles among university students are limited. We sought to evaluate the effects of life style, depressive symptoms, and social support in common cold among medical school students.

120 medical students were surveyed through a self-reported questionnaire. They were asked to rate the severity of eight respiratory symptoms of the Jackson Criterion during the previous month. The ratings were summed to calculate the total symptom score. Social support was assessed by using Interpersonal Support Evaluation List(ISEL). Depressive symptoms were assessed by using The Center for Epidemiologic studies Depression Scale(CES-D). A score of 16 or higher was used as the cut-off point for high depressive symptoms. Life style factors were also evaluated. that Wilcoxon rank sum test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Chi-square test, and logistic regression test were used.

The symptom score ranged from 0 to 18 and the median was 10 among those who had experienced symptoms. 33(34.4%) had experienced cold during the last month. The social support score ranged from 91 to 156 and the median was 113. The prevalence of high depressive symptoms was 36.7%. Students with lower social support and higher depressive symptoms had higher cold symptom scores, although it was not statistically significant. Students who had evaluated their sleep quality and health status as bad had higher cold symptoms scores. In multiple logistics regression analysis, depression, sleep quality, and self-perceived health status were either significant or border-line significant risk factors of cold.

Our study suggests that life style factors such as sleep quality and self-perceived health status is associated with an increased susceptibility to common cold.