Awareness and Sources of Knowledge about Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Cross Sectional Survey Study
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a multifactorial sleep breathing disorder, seriously impacting quality of life and involving approximately 1 billion of the world’s population. It is characterized by episodes of total cessation of breathing or decreases in airflow during sleep. Available data sugges...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/23/3052 |
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| author | Maria Lavinia Bartolucci Serena Incerti Parenti Francesco Bortolotti Tommaso Gorini Giulio Alessandri-Bonetti |
| author_facet | Maria Lavinia Bartolucci Serena Incerti Parenti Francesco Bortolotti Tommaso Gorini Giulio Alessandri-Bonetti |
| author_sort | Maria Lavinia Bartolucci |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a multifactorial sleep breathing disorder, seriously impacting quality of life and involving approximately 1 billion of the world’s population. It is characterized by episodes of total cessation of breathing or decreases in airflow during sleep. Available data suggest that most cases of OSA remain undiagnosed even in developed countries. This is due to a lack of widespread knowledge about this pathology and the medical morbidities and mortality it brings about, among both laypeople and physicians. Moreover, despite receiving indications about the need to undergo specific evaluations for OSA signs and symptoms, sometimes patients do not pay sufficient attention to the problem. This is probably due to a lack of correct information on these issues. The present investigation analyzed the level of knowledge about OSA pathology and the sources through which a group of OSA patients gained information on their condition. A survey of 92 patients diagnosed with OSA (mean age 60.55 ± 10.10) and referred to the Unit of Orthodontics and Dental Sleep Medicine of the University of Bologna was conducted by means of a questionnaire investigating sociodemographic characteristics, the level of general knowledge on OSA pathology and its possible medical consequences. Despite about two third (67.38%) of the population demonstrating extensive knowledge, remarkably, a group of subjects (20.65%) had poor awareness of the OSA condition. A statistically significant correlation emerged between the level of knowledge about OSA and the level of education (<i>p</i> = 0.002). A great effort should be made to improve the quality of information and the communication modalities for OSA to enable a fully appropriate awareness of the condition among patients. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:50:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5b08e8e6e73c44d386787d99d8cf3281 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:50:44Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-5b08e8e6e73c44d386787d99d8cf32812023-12-08T15:16:05ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322023-11-011123305210.3390/healthcare11233052Awareness and Sources of Knowledge about Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Cross Sectional Survey StudyMaria Lavinia Bartolucci0Serena Incerti Parenti1Francesco Bortolotti2Tommaso Gorini3Giulio Alessandri-Bonetti4Unit of Orthodontics and Sleep Dentistry, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Via San Vitale 59, 40125 Bologna, ItalyUnit of Orthodontics and Sleep Dentistry, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Via San Vitale 59, 40125 Bologna, ItalyUnit of Orthodontics and Sleep Dentistry, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Via San Vitale 59, 40125 Bologna, ItalyUnit of Orthodontics and Sleep Dentistry, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Via San Vitale 59, 40125 Bologna, ItalyUnit of Orthodontics and Sleep Dentistry, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Via San Vitale 59, 40125 Bologna, ItalyObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a multifactorial sleep breathing disorder, seriously impacting quality of life and involving approximately 1 billion of the world’s population. It is characterized by episodes of total cessation of breathing or decreases in airflow during sleep. Available data suggest that most cases of OSA remain undiagnosed even in developed countries. This is due to a lack of widespread knowledge about this pathology and the medical morbidities and mortality it brings about, among both laypeople and physicians. Moreover, despite receiving indications about the need to undergo specific evaluations for OSA signs and symptoms, sometimes patients do not pay sufficient attention to the problem. This is probably due to a lack of correct information on these issues. The present investigation analyzed the level of knowledge about OSA pathology and the sources through which a group of OSA patients gained information on their condition. A survey of 92 patients diagnosed with OSA (mean age 60.55 ± 10.10) and referred to the Unit of Orthodontics and Dental Sleep Medicine of the University of Bologna was conducted by means of a questionnaire investigating sociodemographic characteristics, the level of general knowledge on OSA pathology and its possible medical consequences. Despite about two third (67.38%) of the population demonstrating extensive knowledge, remarkably, a group of subjects (20.65%) had poor awareness of the OSA condition. A statistically significant correlation emerged between the level of knowledge about OSA and the level of education (<i>p</i> = 0.002). A great effort should be made to improve the quality of information and the communication modalities for OSA to enable a fully appropriate awareness of the condition among patients.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/23/3052obstructive sleep apneasource of knowledgesleep disordered breathinglevel of knowledge |
| spellingShingle | Maria Lavinia Bartolucci Serena Incerti Parenti Francesco Bortolotti Tommaso Gorini Giulio Alessandri-Bonetti Awareness and Sources of Knowledge about Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Cross Sectional Survey Study Healthcare obstructive sleep apnea source of knowledge sleep disordered breathing level of knowledge |
| title | Awareness and Sources of Knowledge about Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Cross Sectional Survey Study |
| title_full | Awareness and Sources of Knowledge about Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Cross Sectional Survey Study |
| title_fullStr | Awareness and Sources of Knowledge about Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Cross Sectional Survey Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Awareness and Sources of Knowledge about Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Cross Sectional Survey Study |
| title_short | Awareness and Sources of Knowledge about Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Cross Sectional Survey Study |
| title_sort | awareness and sources of knowledge about obstructive sleep apnea a cross sectional survey study |
| topic | obstructive sleep apnea source of knowledge sleep disordered breathing level of knowledge |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/23/3052 |
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