DEGREE OF GADGET USE AND SLEEP QUALITY AMONG FIRST-SEMESTER STUDENTS IN THE FACULTY OF PUBLIC HEALTH, NUSA CENDANA UNIVERSITY

Maria Magdalena Dwi Wahyuni (Public Health Study Program, Faculty of Public Health, Nusa Cendana University, Indonesia)
Angelina Kathlen Susanto (Public Health Study Program, Faculty of Public Health, Nusa Cendana University, Indonesia)
Marshanda Ananda Pandie (Public Health Study Program, Faculty of Public Health, Nusa Cendana University, Indonesia)
Melania Alpiani Derang Pehan (Public Health Study Program, Faculty of Public Health, Nusa Cendana University, Indonesia)
Santaliana Pakae (Public Health Study Program, Faculty of Public Health, Nusa Cendana University, Indonesia)
Yurihany Selsalia Jelita Ndolu (Public Health Study Program, Faculty of Public Health, Nusa Cendana University, Indonesia)

Jurnal Widya Medika
Vol. 12 No. 3 (2026): NOVEMBER

Quality of sleep is an essential aspect of health that is often compromised among first-year students due to lifestyle changes and excessive gadget use. This study aims to determine the relationship between gadget use intensity and sleep quality in first-year students at the Faculty of Public Health, Nusa Cendana University. An observational analytic study with a cross-sectional approach was conducted on 116 students from the class of 2025. Data were collected using validated questionnaires on gadget usage intensity (α = 0.872) and sleep quality (α = 0.795), analyzed using Spearman's Rho correlation. A positive and significant relationship was found between gadget usage intensity and sleep quality (r = 0.607; p < 0.001). Ordinal logistic regression showed that gadget usage intensity accounted for 50% of the variation in sleep quality. High gadget use intensity significantly correlates with poorer sleep quality. Academic institutions should implement digital curfews to help students manage sleep health during their academic transition.