Epworth Sleepiness Scale results in medical students. A preliminary study

Abstract

Introduction Sleep disorders, especially insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness, are common complaints. They are associated with an increased prevalence of various somatic diseases and/or psychiatric disorders as well as psychosocial problems. Previous general population studies have estimated that the prevalence of sleep disorders ranges between 15 and 42%. Objectives and aim Studying sleepiness in younger medical students, that is, in the carrier initial or lower grades. Methods The Epworth Sleepiness Scale was administered to a 135 (mean age 19.90 y.o.) (76% female/33% male) voluntary agreeing sample of first cycle medical students in Tenerife during 2014–2015. EES measures daytime sleepiness. The Statistical Package for Social Science was applied. Results and discussion 1. Age is about the same than that of a Brazilian medical students sample (20.16). 2. Just over 50% (68 out of 135) had daytime sleepiness, higher than the Brazilian's and much higher than that observed in an Australian medical students sample. Curiously, 29 percent of our students with diurnal sleepiness had reported a good quality sleep in the previous month. 3. This figure (>50%) is really higher than the recorded proportion in adult general population. 4. No intersex differences were noticed ( P >0.05). Conclusions Our study points out that complaints about sleepiness are very common in younger medical students. The question remains whether adjustment, personality traits, high tasks and curricula burdens associated with fatigue may have a causal link with sleepiness in a very demanding carrier. Moreover, we should highlight that sleepiness, as a subjective variable, could be confounded with fatigue.