The Prevalence of Acne Vulgaris and its Association with Sleep Quality Among Medical Students in King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences

Abstract

Background and Aims: Acne vulgaris is a common chronic inflammatory skin condition affecting the pilosebaceous unit. Emerging evidence suggests a link between poor sleep quality and acne. This study aims to assess the prevalence of acne vulgaris and its association with sleep quality among medical students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 277 medical students at KSAU-HS, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia using a self-administered online questionnaire. Acne severity was assessed using the Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA) scale, while sleep quality was measured using components of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Data was analyzed using SPSS version 27, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Acne severity was predominantly mild, with 23.5% having no acne (Grade 0), 28.5% with mild acne (Grade 1), and 23.1% with moderate acne (Grade 2). Poor sleep quality was reported by 50.5% of participants. Good sleep quality was significantly associated with lower acne severity and less frequent acne breakouts. Participants with good sleep quality were more likely to have no acne or only mild acne compared to those with poor sleep quality (p < 0.001). Gender showed a significant association with acne severity (p ≤ 0.033), with females reporting higher acne severity than males, while age did not show a significant correlation. Conclusion: This study highlights a significant association between poor sleep quality and increased acne severity. Promoting healthy sleep habits may be beneficial in managing acne among medical students. Further research is needed to explore underlying mechanisms.

References

1. 1.Sachdeva M, Tan J, Lim J, Kim M, Nadeem I, Bismil R. The prevalence, risk factors, and psychosocial impacts of acne vulgaris in medical students: a literature review. International journal of dermatology. 2021 Jul;60(7):792-8.
2. 2.Sutaria AH,Masood S,Saleh HM,et al. Acne Vulgaris.[Updated 2023 Aug 17]. In:StatPearls [Internet].Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm. nih.gov/books/NBK459173/
3. 3.Rahmani W, Abbasi S, Hagner A, et al. Hair follicle dermal stem cells regenerate the dermal sheath,repopulate the dermal papilla, and modulate hair type. Dev Cell. 2014;31(5):543-558. doi:10.1016/j.devcel.2014.10.022 doi:10.1016/j.devcel.2014.10.022
4. 4.Zhu Z,Flaxman AD,Naghavi M,et al. Global,regional and national burdens of acne vulgaris in young people: analysis of Global Burden of Disease 2021. Lancet Glob Health.2025;13(2):e218-
5. 5.Heng AHS, Chew FT. Systematic review of the epidemiology of acne vulgaris. Sci Rep. 2020;10(1):5754. Published 2020 Apr 1. doi:10.1038/ s41598-020-62715-3 Majmaah Journal of Health Sciences,Vol.14, Issue3, July-2026,Muharram-1448 187 The Prevalence of Acne Vulgaris and its Association with Sleep Quality Among Medical Students in King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for HealthSciences
6. 6.Alanazi TM, Alajroush W, Alharthi RM, Alshalhoub MZ, Alshehri MA. Prevalence of acne vulgaris, its contributing factors, and treatment satisfaction among the saudi population in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A crosssectional study.Journal of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery. 2020 Jan 1;24(1):33-7.
7. 7.Ramezani Tehrani F, Behboudi- Gandevani S,Bidhendi Yarandi R,Saei Ghare Naz M, Carmina E. Prevalence of acne vulgaris among women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a systemic review and meta-analysis. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2021;37(5):392-405. doi:1 0.1080/09513590.2020.1859474
8. 8.Heng AHS, Say YH, Sio YY, Ng YT, Chew FT. Epidemiological Risk Factors Associated with Acne Vulgaris Presentation, Severity, and Scarring in a Singapore Chinese Population: A Cross-Sectional Study. Dermatology. 2022;238(2):226-235. doi:10.1159/000516232 doi:10.1159/000516232