2025 Volume 32 Article ID: 32_R39
Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between pain and sleep quality, as measured by the Japanese version of the Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire (J-RCSQ), to explore methods for improving sleep quality. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study involving patients aged 20 years or older. Data were collected on the day of ICU discharge, including patient factors [e.g., J-RCSQ, pain-related numerical rating scale (NRS)], nursing care factors (e.g., frequency of observations and position changes), and environmental factors (e.g., ICU bed occupancy rate). Patients were divided into two groups based on the median J-RCSQ average score. The NRS was dichotomized (0 vs. ≥1) and analyzed using univariate analysis, followed by multivariate logistic regression as the main analysis. In addition, a supplementary analysis was performed using a three-category NRS model: 0 (no pain), 1‒3 (mild pain), and ≥4 (a pronounced pain), to assess the impact of pain severity. Results: Data from 252 patients were analyzed. In the main analysis, sleep quality was significantly associated with the presence of pain (OR 0.549, 95% CI 0.306-0.973, P＝0.042). In the supplementary analysis, the OR for mild pain (NRS 1-3) was 0.677 (95% CI: 0.342-1.338, P＝0.261), while that for a pronounced pain (NRS ≥4) was 0.426 (95% CI: 0.204-0.888, P＝0.023). Conclusion: Decreased sleep quality was associated particularly with a pronounced pain, and even mild pain showed a non-negligible association. These findings suggest the importance of assessing pain and prioritizing adequate pain management to improve sleep quality.
