EVALUATION OF SLEEP QUALITY AND FATIGUE LEVEL AMONG THE PARTICIPANTS SUFFERING FROM PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS – A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a significant public health issue, particularly in countries like India. While diagnostic and treatment protocols have improved, the non-respiratory consequences of TB—such as sleep disturbances and fatigue remain under-addressed, despite their substantial impact on recovery, quality of life, and treatment adherence. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess sleep quality and fatigue levels in individuals with pulmonary TB and to determine the correlation between these two variables. METHODS: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at the Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases (TBCD) Ward of Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad. Fifty-six participants diagnosed with pulmonary TB for over three months were evaluated. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and fatigue levels were assessed using the Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS-12). Descriptive statistics and Pearson/Spearman correlation tests were used to analyse the data. RESULTS: Participants had poor sleep quality (mean PSQI = 15.64) and moderate to high fatigue (mean PFS = 6.22). Among them, 73.2% experienced moderate fatigue and 26.8% had severe fatigue. A statistically significant moderate positive correlation (r = 0.515, p < 0.01) was found between sleep quality and fatigue levels. Disease duration showed a strong positive correlation with poor sleep (ρ = 0.866) and moderate correlation with fatigue (ρ = 0.441), highlighting a progressive impact. CONCLUSION: Poor sleep and significant fatigue are highly prevalent in pulmonary TB patients and are strongly correlated. These findings emphasize the need for routine screening and integrative management strategies including sleep hygiene education, fatigue interventions, and psychological support. Future studies should explore longitudinal changes and evaluate targeted interventions to improve quality of life and treatment outcomes in TB care. Keywords: Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Sleep Quality, Fatigue, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS), Fatigue Management, Quality of Life.