EXCESSIVE DAYTIME SLEEPYNESS IN MEDICAL INTERNSHIP STUDENTS OF A BRAZILIAN UNIVERSITY: PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS

Abstract

The sleep deprivation that the intern undergoes is interpreted as a symbol of dedication to the profession, which, in the short term, seems to increase productivity, however, it can lead to mental, physical and psychological deterioration, generating memory failures and disorders. sleep disorders such as excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). This is characterized as an increased sensation of sleep need and decreased alertness, being one of the main effects of reduced sleep duration. The aim of the present study will be to analyze EDS in interns at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Rio Verde, in Rio Verde – GO, Brazil. The sociodemographic, health and lifestyle profile of the students was collected, as well as the degree of daytime sleepiness using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). The data obtained were entered into the statistical program Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) to establish correlations between the scores obtained for daytime sleepiness and the independent variables analyzed in this study using the Chi-Square test. The prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness in the sample was 65.5% and a statistically significant association was found with the presence of depression, the fact of studying in the three shifts of the day and the low quality of sleep in the investigated academics.