Sleep Disturbance and Its Association With Purchasing Behavior of COVID-19 Medicine Among the Public After the Adjustment of Zero-COVID Policy in China - Results From a Web-Based Survey Study

Q: What was the objective of this study?

To explore the public’s sleep status and its association with COVID-19 medicine purchasing behavior after China adjusted its zero-COVID policy.

Q: How was the study conducted?

It used a cross-sectional, internet-based survey of residents aged 18–69 in Zhejiang, China, from December 16 to 30, 2022, collecting sociodemographic factors and drug-purchasing behavior.

Q: What were the main findings about sleep disruption?

Of 38,480 participants, 54.1% reported sleep disruption. Sleep disturbance was higher among those who acquired medications and those who tried but failed to obtain them compared with those who deemed purchasing unnecessary.

Sep 29, 2026

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Study of the post–zero-COVID policy adjustment period in China examined public sleep status and how it related to COVID-19 medicine purchasing behavior. A web-based cross-sectional survey of residents aged 18–69 in Zhejiang (Dec 16–30, 2022) collected sociodemographic characteristics and drug-purchasing data. Among 38,480 participants, 54.1% reported sleep disruption, and multivariate models linked medication acquisition attempts to higher risk, especially among older adults and those with lower education.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Introduction

INTERACTIVE JOURNAL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH Huang et al Original Paper Sleep Disturbance and Its Association With Purchasing Behavior of COVID-19 Medicine Among the Public After the Adjustment of Zero-COVID Policy in China: Results From a Web-Based Survey Study | Yu Huang1 , MSc; Xiang Zhao1 , MSc; Lei Wang1 , MSc; Qiaohong Lv1 , MSc; Qingqing Wu1 , MSc; Shuiyang Xu 1 , MPH; Xuehai Zhang 1 , MSc; Shuxian Wu2 , MSc | | --- | | 1Department of Health Education, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China 2Central Office, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
Corresponding Author:
Shuxian Wu, MSc Central Office
Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention
630 Xincheng Road, Binjiang District Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310051
China
Phone: 86 057187115030
Email: [sxwu@cdc.zj.cn](sxwu@cdc.zj.cn)
Abstract | Background: In December 2022, in light of the weakened pathogenicity of the new variants and other scientific considerations, China optimized its zero-COVID policy. As the situation evolved, the virus spread more widely across the country. Objective: This study aims to explore the public’s sleep status and its association with purchasing behavior of COVID-19 medicine after the adjustment of zero-COVID policy in China. Methods: A cross-sectional, internet-based survey among residents aged 18‐69 years was conducted in Zhejiang province, China, from December 16 to 30, 2022, to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics, COVID-19 drug purchasing behavior, sleep disturbance levels, etc. Chi-square tests, univariate analyses, and multivariate analyses were used to explore the associations among these factors. Results: Out of 38,480 participants, 20,803 (54.1%) reported sleep disruption after China’s COVID-19 response policy adjustment. The degree of impact varied, with 10,964 (52.70%) reporting “slight,” 3105 (14.93%)“moderate,” 3493 (16.79%)“significant,” and 3241 (15.58%) “very significant” impacts. Only 20.90%(782/3742) of those who deemed purchasing unnecessary had sleep disruptions, compared to 45.19%(6214/13,752) of those who acquired medications and 65.79%(13,807/20,986) of those who tried but failed to obtain them. Sleep disturbance levels were significantly associated with sociodemographic factors like age, education levels, occupation, marital status, and presence of family members diagnosed with COVID-19 (P<.05). By age, sleep disturbance proportions differed notably: 36.32%(409/1126) for those under 20 years, 54.81%(19,714/35,970) for the 20 to 60 age group, and 49.13%(680/1384) for individuals over 60 years. For education level, the proportions were 57.44%(517/900, primary school), 54.34%(3928 /7229, junior high school), 54.27%(3808/7017, senior high school), 53.99%(11,974/22,180, junior college/undergraduate), and 49.91%(576/1154, master’s degree), showing a clear downward trend as education level increased. By occupation, farmers had the highest rate (855/1447, 59.09%), followed by business/service industry workers and stay-at-home/unemployed individuals (13,925/24,750, 56.26%) and government staff (4161/7712, 53.95%), while 1242 out of 3049 (40 .73%) health workers and 620 out of 1522 (40 .74%) students had lower rates. Married participants had a 55.21%(17,143/31,053) sleep disturbance rate, and those with COVID-positive family members had the highest rate (2023/2873, 70.41%) . Multivariate logistic regression, adjusting for these sociodemographic factors, showed that compared to those who thought purchasing COVID-19 medications was unnecessary, those who acquired medications were 3.11 times (adjusted odds ratio 3.11, 95% CI 2.85‐3.39) more likely, and those who tried but couldn’t get medications were 7.11 times (adjusted odds ratio 7.11, 95% CI 6.53‐7.74) more likely to experience sleep disturbance. [https://www.i-jmr.org/2026/1/e79903](https://www.i-jmr.org/2026/1/e79903) Interact J Me

FAQs

What was the objective of this study?

To explore the public’s sleep status and its association with COVID-19 medicine purchasing behavior after China adjusted its zero-COVID policy.

How was the study conducted?

It used a cross-sectional, internet-based survey of residents aged 18–69 in Zhejiang, China, from December 16 to 30, 2022, collecting sociodemographic factors and drug-purchasing behavior.

What were the main findings about sleep disruption?

Of 38,480 participants, 54.1% reported sleep disruption. Sleep disturbance was higher among those who acquired medications and those who tried but failed to obtain them compared with those who deemed purchasing unnecessary.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by hdkawk