Sleep Duration, Living Conditions, Learning Styles, and Academic Performance of Nursing Students in Microbiology and Parasitology in a Philippine Catholic Higher Educational Institution

Abstract

Academic performance in Microbiology and Parasitology is a cornerstone to nursing education, providing the scientific basis for infection control, disease prevention, and evidence-based practice. This descriptive-correlational study assessed 141 second-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing students at a private Catholic school in Bacolod City during the 2025–2026 academic year. Results were examined in relation to sleep duration, living conditions, and learning styles using a researcher-developed test aligned with the syllabus and the VARK Learning Style Questionnaire (Version 8.02). Statistical analyses employed descriptive measures, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Spearman rank, and chi-square tests. Results indicated average overall performance, with above-average outcomes among students reporting normal sleep and those preferring read/write learning strategies. Students living alone or with family, as well as visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners, achieved average results. Importantly, only the read/write learning style showed a significant relationship to academic performance, while sleep and living conditions exerted no measurable influence on performance.