English

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Sleep is an active, cyclic biological phenomenon necessary for survival. Sleep determines cognitive functioning, learning and attention, and also affects growth, behavior, and development. Sleep disorders are very common and are important unmet public health problems. Sleep medicine has not been emphasized in medical schools. Studies on awareness and sleep-related experiences in medical students are very limited and lacking. AIMS: To determine the awareness and experience of undergraduate medical students on sleep and sleep-related disorders. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: An institutional cross sectional study among undergraduate students of a medical college in coastal Andhra Pradesh. MATERIAL AND METHODS: After the study protocol was given clearance by the Institution Ethics Committee, consent was taken from the undergraduate medical students of Konaseema Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Foundation, Amalapuram, and a predesigned and pretested questionnaire was given which captured information related to basic demographic details followed by questions related to awareness and experience related to sleep and sleep disorders. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The data collected was entered into Microsoft Excel and analyzed using Epi Info 6 software. Chi Square test was done wherever applicable. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Total 432 out of 550 medical students (78.6 percent) participated in the study. There were 261 females and 171 males. Medical Students have suboptimal knowledge and even misconceptions regarding sleep - particularly sleep hygiene, sleep duration, sleep- related pharmacology and factors affecting sleep. Sleep-related problems are also very common in them. There is a need to emphasize sleep medicine in the curriculum of undergraduates and develop educational strategies to bridge the knowledge gap. The medical students need to know not only how to help others with sleep disorders, but also how to deal with themselves for their sleep related disorders