The effect of postoperative pain severity on sleep quality in patients undergoing bariatric surgery

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the effect of postoperative pain severity on sleep quality during the first 24 hours following bariatric surgery. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational study was conducted between October 1, 2024, and January 15, 2025, at the General Surgery Clinic of Istanbul Atlas University Medicine Hospital. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the Non-Interventional Scientific Research Ethics Committee of Istanbul Atlas University on September 30, 2024, with decision number E-22686390-050.99-51835. Institutional permission was granted, and written informed consent was obtained from all participants. The sample size was determined using the G*Power 3.1 software, based on a significance level of 5% (α = 0.05), a statistical power of 95% (1–β), and a medium effect size (f = 0.25) as recommended by Cohen (1988) for studies in the social sciences. The minimum required sample size was calculated as 160, and the study was completed with 165 participants who met the inclusion criteria. Data were collected through patient record reviews and face-to-face interviews conducted by the researcher, using the "Patient Information Form," the "Visual Analogue Scale," and the "Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire". Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 22.0. Relationships between variables were analyzed using Pearson correlation and linear regression analyses, while group differences were assessed using independent samples t-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and post hoc tests. Results: The participants' mean postoperative pain scores during the first 24 hours were found to be of moderate severity, and their sleep quality scores also indicated a moderate level of sleep experience. Regression analysis revealed that each one-unit increase in pain severity was associated with a decrease of approximately 9.43 units in sleep quality scores (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The findings clearly demonstrate that postoperative pain severity has a significant and adverse impact on sleep quality in patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Accordingly, pain management strategies within surgical nursing care should be approached holistically, with specific attention to maintaining and enhancing sleep quality during the postoperative period. Keywords: Bariatric surgery, perioperative care, postoperative pain, sleep, surgical nursing