Donaldson F Conserve
Tanzania
Research Article
Sleep Apnea Symptoms and Cardiovascular Disease Risks among Haitian Medical Students
Author(s): Diana M Rosenthal, Donaldson F Conserve, Dodley Severe, Michaele A Gedeon, Ferdinand Zizi, Georges Casimir, Samy I McFarlane and Girardin Jean LouisDiana M Rosenthal, Donaldson F Conserve, Dodley Severe, Michaele A Gedeon, Ferdinand Zizi, Georges Casimir, Samy I McFarlane and Girardin Jean Louis
Sleep apnea is a prevalent sleep disorder that disproportionately affects blacks and has been previously studied among Caribbean-born blacks in Brooklyn, New York, but there has been negligible research in the Caribbean, specifically Haiti, and developing countries on this pressing health issue. A total of 373 medical students (mean age=20.6 years ± 2.3 years) from a medical school in Haiti participated in this study. Participants were administered a questionnaire assessing their sleep health and cardiovascular outcomes. The rate of sleep apnea symptoms was: snoring (13.2%), excessive daytime sleepiness (73.7%), and difficulty maintaining sleep (25.3%). Many reported falling asleep while watching television (68.2%) or while driving (7.8%). Based on logistic regression analysis, reported nocturnal breathing pauses was the most important predictor of the likelihood of reporting a.. View More»