Initial Difficulties Research Articles

Sleep Disturbance in Gynaecologic Malignancies-an Overview

Sleep plays a pivotal role in maintaining homeostasis and one of a few foremost determinants of Quality of Life. Quality of life is a well-studied topic in oncology and various measures are taken to improve quality of life in this setting, in order to achieve therapeutic outcome and compliance in general in cancer patients. Sleep disturbances and disruption in circadian rhythm is among a few common presenting complaints of patients with malignancy and affects between 30% to 75% of newly diagnosed or recently treated cancer patients,1 which are reported as double that of the general population, paving the way for decreased compliance and inefficacy of therapy and pose as a detriment to general well-being, and quality of life. It is evident that mood disorders and sleep disturbances are more prevalent in females (1.3 to 1.8 times more than men),2 one may theorize that the prevalence of sleep disturbance in gynaecologic malignancies is greater than that of general population. Sleep disturbances in gynaecologic cancer patients often include difficulty in initiation of sleep, frequent awakening, difficulty in staying asleep, and restless leg syndrome. Systematic research on various sleeps disorders and their therapeutic approach in gynaecologic cancers in general is lacking. This article aims at elucidating and giving overview of sleep pattern changes in gynaecologic malignancies and therapeutic approaches to foster better sleep in this subset of population. This article also emphasizes the need to envisage the treatment strategies targeting cytokines and cortisol in improvement of sleep parameters in gynaecologic malignancies.

The next step in balloon assisted endovascular neurosurgical procedures: A case series of initial experience with the Scepter Mini balloon microcatheter.

The use of compliant dual lumen balloon microcatheters (CDLB) for the endovascular treatment of vascular malformations, wide neck aneurysms, and intracranial angioplasty (for vasospasm) is well documented. Navigation of 4 mm or larger CDLB within tortuous and small distal intracranial vessels can be challenging. Recently, the lower profile Scepter Mini balloon microcatheter (SMB) has been approved for use, with potential for improved intracranial navigation. Discuss operative experience of Scepter Mini (Microvention, Aliso Viejo, CA). We describe our initial experience with the SMB in a series of nine patients. The balloon microcatheter was used for delivery of liquid embolic in six patients (Case 1, 2, 6-9), adjunct support for delivery or positioning of the Woven Endobridge (WEB) device in two (Case 3,4), and gentle post-deployment repositioning of a WEB device in the last one (Case 5). We were able to successfully navigate the SMB over a 0.008 "micro wire to the target lesion in all the patients. We experienced initial difficulty with injecting liquid embolic in Case 2. We postulate that the SMB was in a tortuous segment of a dural vessel in this patient, and that it kinked on inflation with occlusion of the liquid embolic delivery lumen; this was overcome with slightly proximal repositioning and reinflation of the SMB. Our initial experience shows that the SMB has potential to be useful in endovascular neurosurgical procedures requiring balloon assistance within smaller diameter blood vessels.

When unity is strength: No-profit foundation provides personal protective equipment during covid-19 pandemic in Italy

It was December 2019 when Wuhan, in China, became the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic, and in two months the disease spread fast and uncontrolled throughout the world. On 20 February 2020 since the first official case of Covid-19 was recorded in Italy, measures were put in place immediately to contain the infection, starting with a lengthy lockdown, which helped block the explosive pandemic. In addition, people were obliged to keep ‘social distances’ from each other, to wear surgical-type facemasks, and to wash and disinfect hands frequently. Countries everywhere were taken by surprise and this explains the initial difficulties in the supply of personal protective equipment. In Italy, despite the precise procedures for prevention that were swiftly put into practice, for several weeks it was almost impossible to find personal protective equipment. Health workers, who were more exposed to the virus than the rest of the population, found themselves for several weeks without the P2 and P3 masks they needed, suffering heavily. The Fondazione RETINA 3000, a no profit foundation, already took action in January 2020 to collect funds which were put to use with no burocratic delay, to purchase materials for Italian healthcare staff. In conclusion, during a period when social distance was mandatory, distance help and contribution from hundreds of people allowed Fondazione RETINA 3000 to give ophthalmologists and physicians in Italy valuable help showing how private structures and nonprofit foundations can work constructively to make essential supplies available even in extremely difficult circumstances.

무용 지도자의 직업사회화 과정에 관한 문화기술지

Occupational socialization is a process by which individuals internalize occupational culture. The aim of the current study was to ascertain the views and perceptions of Dance instructors regarding the efficiency of occupational socialization periods and the level of their occupational socialization using ethnography to let pre-service Dance instructors understand the occupational socialization process. The twelve research participants was chosen among Dance instructors in Seoul city and Gyeonggi province. From January to April, 2020, the research participants was interviewed in depth using unstructured pattern and half-structured pattern through their personal laptop or computer due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The results of this study was came out as follows. In the early stage, motives for joining Dance instructors are 1) efforts to foster pre-dancers 2) family or teachers’ recommendation, and 3) interest in education. The initial difficulties are 1) lack of teaching experience, 2) trial and error of teaching methods, and 3) lack of the guidance of Dance instructors. Second, in the adaptation stage, different points of view compared to the past is 1) popularization of dance, and 2) high capabilities. The perception of lack of expertise is 1) the limitation of empirical knowledge, 2) the desire to be a good instructor, and 3) the psychological instability. Third, in the growth stage, efforts to acquire theoretical knowledge are 1) the Internet; 2) consultation with eminent Dance instructors, 3) books, and 4) graduate school entrance. An effort to teach well is 1) seeking advice from other instructors, 2) thinking in students’ shoes, and 3) improving self-management.

Teaching the Design and Fabrication of RPD Frameworks With a Digital Workflow: A Preclinical Dental Exercise.

IntroductionThe conventional method for teaching removable partial denture (RPD) design using a pencil drawing on a solid cast has always been the basis for teaching RPD design in most dental schools at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. This does not apply to RPD fabrication technology, as more laboratories have recently adopted more efficient and versatile digital techniques to design and fabricate RPD frameworks.MethodsAt the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, we created a pilot workshop to assess the efficiency of a new approach to teaching RPD design utilizing this new digital RPD technology as a teaching tool for graduate prosthodontics residents. Three first-year prosthodontics residents were enrolled in the workshop, which involved learning the new digital workflow of designing RPD.ResultsThis new teaching approach very successfully achieved its educational goals. The residents reported that the digital RPD teaching approach enriched their knowledge and deepened their understanding of RPD design.DiscussionThe technique garnered significant interest from the students and seemed to also increase their understanding of the steps involved in RPD fabrication as well as the different components of the RPD.

Pre-Movement Cortico-Muscular Dynamics Underlying Improved Parkinson Gait Initiation after Instructed Arm Swing.

Background:The supplementary motor area (SMA) is implicated in both motor initiation and stereotypic multi-limb movements such as walking with arm swing. Gait in Parkinson’s disease exhibits starting difficulties and reduced arm swing, consistent with reduced SMA activity.Objective:We tested whether enhanced arm swing could improve Parkinson gait initiation and assessed whether increased SMA activity during preparation might facilitate such improvement.Methods:Effects of instructed arm swing on cortical activity, muscle activity and kinematics were assessed by ambulant EEG, EMG, accelerometers and video in 17 Parkinson patients and 19 controls. At baseline, all participants repeatedly started walking after a simple auditory cue. Next, patients started walking at this cue, which now meant starting with enhanced arm swing. EEG changes over the putative SMA and leg motor cortex were assessed by event related spectral perturbation (ERSP) analysis of recordings at Fz and Cz.Results:Over the putative SMA location (Fz), natural PD gait initiation showed enhanced alpha/theta synchronization around the auditory cue, and reduced alpha/beta desynchronization during gait preparation and movement onset, compared to controls. Leg muscle activity in patients was reduced during preparation and movement onset, while the latter was delayed compared to controls. When starting with enhanced arm swing, these group differences virtually disappeared.Conclusion:Instructed arm swing improves Parkinson gait initiation. ERSP normalization around the cue indicates that the attributed information may serve as a semi-internal cue, recruiting an internalized motor program to overcome initiation difficulties.

Can you see me? Participant experience of accessing a weight management programme via group videoconference to overcome barriers to engagement.

BackgroundEngagement with conventional weight management group programmes is low.ObjectiveTo understand participant experience of accessing an adapted programme via videoconference.ParticipantsAdults with obesity (BMI ≥ 35kg/m2), referred to an NHS Dietetics service in Wales, were offered a group videoconference weight management programme as an optional alternative to in‐person groups. Thirteen participants (mean age 48.5 ± 20.2 years, 8 female) recruited to two videoconference groups were interviewed.Study designA Registered Dietitian delivered a behavioural programme using Skype for Business in 10 sessions over 6 months. Participants joined the groups from any Internet‐connected device with a webcam. Participant perspectives were audiorecorded in one‐to‐one, semi‐structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed using self‐determination theory as a theoretical framework.ResultsTen themes were identified, three relating to service engagement and seven relating to behaviour change facilitation. Key themes in engagement included ‘reduced burden’, described as saving time and travel and ‘reduced threat’ as participants perceived joining a group from home as less daunting compared to attending in‐person. Despite reporting some initial technical difficulties with establishing video and audio connection, participants described beneficial peer support although not physically with other group members.ConclusionAccessing a group weight management programme via videoconference may be the preferred option for some participants, overcoming some of the barriers to access to standard in‐person programmes, particularly in rural areas. Participants are able to experience peer support via videoconference. During the COVID‐19 pandemic, weight management programmes could utilize videoconference groups to continue to provide support.

Pain Intensity as a Lagging Indicator of Patient Improvement: Longitudinal Relationships With Sleep, Psychiatric Distress, and Function in Multidisciplinary Care

Despite a common assumption that reductions in chronic pain intensity must precede improvements in other pain-relevant domains, there has been limited empirical inquiry into the temporal ordering of improvements in chronic pain treatment. Cross-lagged models using retrospective clinical data examined relationships between average pain intensity and symptoms of psychological distress, difficulties with sleep initiation and maintenance, and disability in 666 treatment-seeking patients with chronic pain who demonstrated improvement in pain intensity (≥1-point reduction on 0-10 numeric rating scale) over a 1-year span. Results indicated that decreased difficulties with sleep initiation, depressive and anxious symptoms, and disability predicted later improvement in pain intensity, whereas greater pain intensity predicted only later difficulties in sleep initiation and maintenance. A combined lagged model highlighted fewer baseline symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and lower levels of baseline disability as significant predictors of later improvements in pain. Overall, our results indicate that reductions in pain intensity may not be the first factors to change in effective chronic pain management. The current findings should be replicated using prospective studies utilizing structured approaches to maximize data capture, as well as uniform interventional approaches to permit greater inferences regarding causal and temporal aspects of the model. PerspectiveThis study demonstrates that pain intensity scores are not robust predictors of psychosocial outcomes longitudinally. Instead, other factors such as sleep initiation, psychological distress and disability appear to be important targets for intervention that may promote effective pain reduction.

Evaluation of Gait and Quality of Movement Analysis in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder

A Child with developmental coordination disorder will have a higher incidence of movement difficulties and challenges to participate in activities of daily living. There is no exploration of the Gait pattern and the quality of movement exhibited by children’s of developmental coordination disorder in Tamilnadu context. Children's of age 5 to 10 years were included, and after baseline screening with Diagnostic and statistical manual for mental disorder-5 criteria, children were allowed for further examination. MABC-2 and DCDQ were used to screen and rate the movement skill. Of the total sample of 100, 80% exhibited difficulties in Gait initiation, progression and integration of motor skills. Results proved that sensory integration difficulties experienced by the children with DCD were not related to motor coordination. One hundred children included in the study experiences difficulties in participation with a peer group, awareness of body position sense, balance, and activity integration and planning. The current study concludes and adds evidence that each child with DCD is unique but presented with difficulties in gait initiation and integration.

Isolated COVID-19 Infection Precipitates Myasthenia Gravis Crisis: A Case Report.

IntroductionCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread around the world and caused hundreds of thousands of fatalities across a wide spectrum of patients with varying severity and presenting complaints. The discussion of the ability of this disease to cause significant illness in patients with various risk factors such as myasthenia gravis is important to help guide physicians on recognition and treatment options as the pandemic matures.Case ReportHere we discuss a single case of isolated COVID-19 infection that precipitated a myasthenic crisis with no other clinical sequelae in a patient who presented to the emergency department (ED). This report highlights some of the initial difficulties and delay in diagnosis encountered earlier in the pandemic with limited testing supplies and processing labs; however, prompt ED recognition and treatment still led to a favorable outcome.ConclusionThe patient recovered during this initial presentation and was successfully treated with plasma exchange and steroids only. It is important to recognize that myasthenia gravis patients may represent a uniquely vulnerable population that requires enhanced surveillance and screening to prevent significant morbidity and mortality. This case describes how even a mild infection with no significant clinical sequelae or significant signs on imaging studied can precipitate a crisis event.

S2004 A Hard Pill to Swallow: Oropharyngeal Dysphagia Secondary to Antipsychotics

INTRODUCTION: Dysphagia can be anatomically categorized as either oropharyngeal or esophageal based on where and when the patient endorses difficulty swallowing and oropharyngeal dysphagia secondary to antipsychotic medications is often overlooked. Antipsychotics, especially the first generation, have been classically associated with extrapyramidal symptoms such as dystonia, akathisia, tremors and tardive dyskinesia. Dysphagia is an uncommon side effect of antipsychotics which can lead to choking, asphyxiation, or even aspiration pneumonia. Antipsychotic medications block the D2 receptors in the nigrostriatal pathway which are also hypothesized to regulate motor neurons responsible for complex muscle movements such as swallowing. Here, we present a case of severe dysphagia leading to failure to thrive in an adult after initiation of a first-generation antipsychotic. CASE DESCRIPTION/METHODS: A 69-year-old male with a history of schizoaffective disorder who presented with a one-month history of difficulty swallowing. Three days before this symptom, he was started on Haloperidol for his schizoaffective disorder. He complained of difficulty in initiating a swallow, pointing towards his neck region, which was soon followed by coughing and choking with both solid and liquid food. He stopped eating and drinking due to the overwhelming fear of choking leading to significant weight loss and cachexia. His physical examination was significant for temporal wasting, bradykinesia, cogwheel rigidity and diffuse hyperreflexia. Labs were unremarkable. A barium swallow revealed a difficulty in initiation of swallow, aspiration of thin barium with no spontaneous cough and poor pharyngeal constriction. CT soft tissue/neck revealed no evidence of extrinsic compression and MRI brain was done to rule out a stroke. An upper endoscopy was not performed as the barium swallow provided sufficient information to clinch the diagnosis. The patient’s antipsychotics were discontinued, and his nutritional status had to be optimized with NG tube feedings. After two weeks, the patient was transitioned to a liquid diet and discharged from the hospital. DISCUSSION: Antipsychotic-related oropharyngeal dysphagia is an uncommon side effect; however, it has been reported in case reports. It is important to identify this side effect, especially in elderly patients or patients with pre-existing anatomical or functional changes as it can lead to complications such as asphyxiation and aspiration pneumonia contributing to mortality.Figure 1.: Barium swallow study showing heavy pooling of barium in vallecula and pyriform sinuses.Figure 2.: Barium swallow revealing poor pharyngeal constriction leading to aspiration of thin barium without coughing.

Performance Evaluation of Analytical Methods for Parameters Extraction of Photovoltaic Generators

This paper presents a succinct exploration of several analytical methods for extracting the parameters of the single-diode model (SDM) of a photovoltaic (PV) module under standard test conditions (STC). The paper investigates six methods and presents the detailed mathematical analysis leading to the development of each method. To evaluate the performance of these methods, MATLAB-based software has been devised and deployed to generate the results of each method when used to extract the SDM parameters of various PV test modules of different PV technologies. Similar software has also been developed to extract the same parameters using well-established numerical and iterative techniques. A comparison is subsequently made between the synthesized results and those obtained using numerical and iterative methods. The comparison indicates that although analytical methods may involve a significant amount of approximations, their accuracy can be comparable to that of their numerical and iterative counterparts, with the added advantage of a significant reduction in computational complexity, and without the initialization and convergence difficulties, which are normally associated with numerical methods.

Becoming a transcultural psychotherapist: Qualitative study of the experience of professionals in training in a transcultural psychotherapy group

Transcultural psychotherapy is an original therapeutic technique designed to respond to difficulties encountered in psychiatric treatment for migrants. Today, this psychotherapy is formalized and it is in use at numerous sites in France and internationally. An increasing number of professionals are seeking training in this method. We sought to explore the experiences of these trainees, at their entry in the group and during their training. This qualitative study used focus groups to interview trainees participating in a transcultural psychotherapy training group. The thematic analysis generated two domains of experience: the emotional and personal experience within the transcultural group, including the private feelings of the trainee-participants, their initial difficulties, and the changes in these feelings; and their perception of this specific type of care, that is, their perspectives on transcultural psychotherapy and its most original aspects. Based on the narratives of trainees in this program, we conclude that becoming a transcultural psychotherapist involves a process not only of cultural decentering but also of professional decentering. This decentering cannot be learned theoretically: it must be experienced, for a long enough time to become imbued with it and to allow oneself to modify one's practices. After sufficient time in the group, the trainees succeed in extricating themselves, little by little, from their ethnocentric vision of psychotherapy, and come to tolerate and then integrate new ways of doing and thinking.

Design and Development of Stabiliser for Electric Unicycle


 
 
 This paper presents the research on design improvement of a self-balanced electric unicycle model which is available in the market. The improvement work is focused on the stability and the ease-of-use of the electric unicycle. The selected method for improvement is the automatic support wheels. In terms of stability, the additional two small wheels at both sides of the unicycle increase the contact area perpendicular to the unicycle motion and thus reduce the tendency of toppling to the lateral direction. The additional wheels can be expanded and retracted by using a control system where it is suggested that the wheels fold out at riding speed lower than 10km/h and fold in at riding speed higher than 10km/h. These retractable wheels overcome the difficulty of travel initiation and stopping of the original unicycle. The experiment shows that by using the prototype, the users experience better stability when using the unicycle with retractable wheels compare to when using the original unicycle.
 
 

Women’s accounts of the gestational diabetes experience – a South African perspective

Background. Considering the perspectives of African women affected by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) may facilitate the development of culturally sensitive interventions to address this public health concern. Objective. To identify the personal experiences, challenges, coping strategies and health decisions made by urban indigenous South African women affected by GDM. Methods. The experiences of urban African women ( n =10) previously affected by GDM were documented during focus group discussions. The Diabetes Conversation Map educational instrument was used to facilitate discussions. Sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. Results. Participants experienced shock and fear on diagnosis of GDM, but family support and sharing their experiences with their peers provided relief from anxiety. They were aware of the inconsistent implementation of GDM diagnostic procedures at tertiary hospitals and community health clinics, which exacerbated their confusion. Despite their initial difficulty in adjusting to a diet perceived as unpalatable, adopting a healthier lifestyle was considered a positive consequence of a GDM diagnosis. Healthy lifestyle changes were partially retained post partum and were reported to have a positive effect on other family members. The participants had little awareness of their long-term risk of developing diabetes mellitus and the need for regular follow-up screening. Unexpectedly, the majority of participants concurred that being HIV-positive would be less stressful than living with diabetes. Conclusion. Participants viewed being HIV-positive as preferable to having GDM, which may reflect the distress caused by inadequate pretest counselling, inconsistent health information, inconsistent screening practices and suboptimal support from healthcare professionals.

A Scientific Journey with Ionophore-based Sensors.

This article describes selected historical milestones in the field of neutral ionophore-based sensors, starting with the first discovery by Wilhelm Simon and their impact to analytical sciences despite the initial difficulty to understand their function. The reader is then guided through topics in which the author has been involved over the years, from understanding thermodynamic aspects to the field of non-equilibrium potentiometry, polyion sensors, trace level potentiometry, instrumentally controlled ion sensors and finally potentiometry involving local perturbations and transient currents that allow for new readout possibilities. Discussed applications include clinical diagnostics, environmental in situ sensing/profiling and speciation analysis. The article loosely follows the content of the Simon-Widmer Award lecture of the same title presented by the author at the CH Analysis 2019 conference in Beatenberg, Switzerland.

Rock Crack Propagation Mechanism of Oriented Perforation Hydraulic Fracture under Different Perforation Parameters

In order to obtain the mechanism of crack propagation of oriented perforation hydraulic fracture and its effect on mechanical properties of rock samples, an experimental study on hydraulic fracture of rock samples without confining pressure was carried out. The confining pressure ratio coefficient was defined, and oriented perforation hydraulic fracture was numerically simulated based on the extended finite element method so as to explore the comprehensive influence of different perforation parameters. The results demonstrated that the crack initiates and propagates along the direction of perforation azimuth angle, and the crack of oriented perforation is slightly wider than that of non-oriented perforation. The difficulty of crack initiation and turning increases with the perforation azimuth angle and decreases with the confining pressure ratio coefficient. Crack initiation and propagation are mainly driven by tensile stress, and the crack initiation pressure increases with the perforation azimuth angle and the confining pressure ratio coefficient.

ANTISIPASI DIDAKTIS BERSTRUKTUR KONFLIK KOGNITIF UNTUK MENGATASI HAMBATAN BELAJAR SISWA DALAM MATERI PENJUMLAHAN DAN PENGURANGAN BILANGAN BULAT

This research was backgrounded by the difficulties experienced by junior high school students in understanding the addition and subtraction of integers material. One action chosen to overcome this problem was by designing a didactic anticipation with the cognitive conflict structure. The subjects of this research were the class VII students of SMPN 4 Sungai Pinyuh, of which 5 students were randomly taken as the sample. This research was conducted in two phases, preceded by the pretest to find out the initial difficulties faced by students, followed by intervention in the form of cognitive conflict anticipation, and the posttest to determine whether the designed strategy can reduce the difficulties faced by the students. The results showed that the didactic anticipation with the cognitive conflict structure could facilitate students in understanding the addition and subtraction of integers material.Keywors: Didactic anticipation, Learning obstacles

The long-term financial and psychological resettlement outcomes of pre-migration trauma and post-settlement difficulties in resettled refugees.

Humanitarian crises and ongoing conflicts around the world have created large populations of refugees who require permanent resettlement. The often-difficult pathway to resettlement for refugees places them at elevated risks for ongoing psychological and financial problems, creating an imperative to investigate the longterm outcomes for refugees as they resettle. The current study explores how adversities before and after resettlement impact the psychological distress and experiences of financial hardship over the course of four years postsettlement for a large group of resettled refugees in Australia. Data from the first four waves of the Building New Life in Australia (BNLA) study (N=1509) were used. Recently resettled refugees completed measures of pre-migration trauma and post-settlement difficulties at the initial data collection wave as well as measures of psychological distress and financial hardship across all four waves. Through a random intercept cross-lagged panel model, a time-sensitive bi-directional relationship between psychological distress and financial hardship was found. Additionally, early post-settlement difficulties were indirectly related to both psychological distress and financial hardship over time. In contrast, pre-migration trauma did not significantly predict later outcomes. These results illustrate that trauma focused interventions may be insufficient on their own for assisting resettled refugees in this context. As such, our findings highlight the crucial importance of early identification and responsiveness to the variety of initial difficulties, such as language and housing problems, that may be experienced by resettled refugees to mitigate against subsequent psychological and financial difficulties in the long-term.

Prevalence of sleep disturbances during COVID-19 outbreak in an urban Chinese population: a cross-sectional study

ObjectiveThe COVID-19 pandemic is a large-scale public health emergency that likely precipitated sleep disturbances in the community. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and correlates of sleep disturbances during the early phase of COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsThis web-based cross-sectional study recruited 1138 Hong Kong adults using convenience sampling over a two-week period from 6th April 2020. The survey collected data on sleep disturbances, mood, stress, stock of infection control supplies, perceived risk of being infected by COVID-19, and sources for acquiring COVID-19 information. The participants were asked to compare their recent sleep and sleep before the outbreak. The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) was used to assess their current insomnia severity. Prevalence was weighted according to 2016 population census. ResultsThe weighted prevalence of worsened sleep quality, difficulty in sleep initiation, and shortened sleep duration since the outbreak were 38.3%, 29.8%, and 29.1%, respectively. The prevalence of current insomnia (ISI score of ≥10) was 29.9%. Insufficient stock of masks was significantly associated with worsened sleep quality, impaired sleep initiation, shortened sleep duration, and current insomnia in multivariate logistic regression (adjusted OR = 1.57, 1.72, 1.99, and 1.96 respectively, all p < 0.05). ConclusionA high proportion of people in Hong Kong felt that their sleep had worsened since the COVID-19 outbreak. Insufficient stock of masks was one of the risk factors that were associated with sleep disturbances. Adequate and stable supply of masks may play an important role to maintain the sleep health in the Hong Kong general population during a pandemic outbreak.