Excessive Daytime Sleepiness and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Among Medical Students in Jordan and their Association with Academic Performance.
- 1Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan.
- 2Department of Clinical Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan.
- 3Department of Basic Pathological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan.
Abstract
Background
Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)-related symptoms may affect medical students and interns.Objective
To determine the prevalence of EDS and OSA in medical students and interns from Jordan and its association with academic performance.Methods
This cross-sectional survey was conducted between November 2025 and February 2026 and included medical students and interns from multiple medical schools in Jordan. Participants completed Arabic versions of the Berlin Questionnaire and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and reported GPA categories. EDS was defined as ESS >10; high risk for OSA was determined using the Berlin Questionnaire classification. Bivariate P values were adjusted using the Benjamini-Hochberg procedure, and simultaneous-entry logistic regression was performed.Results
A total of 642 participants were included, with the majority being female (61.5%). Overall, 174 (27.1%) partcipants had EDS and 68 (10.6%) were at high risk for OSA. High-risk participants had higher ESS scores than low-risk participants (median [IQR], 9.5 [5.0] vs. 8.0 [6.0]; adjusted P< 0.001). The association persisted even when the fatigue items of the Berlin Questionnaire were removed and only the snoring/witnessed-apnea domain was used (adjusted P = 0.013). Female sex (adjusted OR: 1.64; 95% CI, 1.11-2.42; P = 0.014) and observed apnea (adjusted OR: 2.65; 95% CI: 1.41-4.99; P = 0.002) were independently associated with EDS. GPA was not associated with EDS. Model discrimination was limited (AUC: 0.633), with a sensitivity of 6.9%.Conclusions
Excessive daytime sleepiness was found to be common among medical students and interns in Jordan, and 1 in 10 participants met the questionnaire-based criteria of high risk for OSA. Female sex and observed apnea were independently associated with EDS, whereas academic performance was not. The limited discrimination and sensitivity of the model preclude its use as a screening tool.
Related
- Effects of resistance training on subjective sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness, and quality of life in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: a secondary analysis from a randomized controlled trial.
- A novel eye-tracking oculomotor score correlates with excessive daytime sleepiness and motor progression in Parkinson’s disease
- Sleep Quality and Daytime Sleepiness in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in a Tertiary Care Hospital: An Observational Study
- Daytime sleepiness shapes health-related quality of life response to CPAP in obstructive sleep apnea
- Comparing Demographic and Clinical Features of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients With and Without Sleepiness: A Cross‐Sectional Study
BibTeX
@article{muhaisen2026excessive,
title = {{Excessive Daytime Sleepiness and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Among Medical Students in Jordan and their Association with Academic Performance.}},
author = {Abdulrhman H M Muhaisen and Faris Al-Rabba and Mohammad Aleidi and Ayham Assaf and Mahdi Qasaymeh and Ibrahim Al-Natsheh and Mohammad Al-Nayef and Razan Abbasi and Ola Soudah},
journal = {Saudi journal of medicine \& medical sciences},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.4103/sjmms.sjmms_319_26},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42974580},
note = {CC BY-NC-SA},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Excessive Daytime Sleepiness and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Among Medical Students in Jordan and their Association with Academic Performance.
AU - Abdulrhman H M Muhaisen
AU - Faris Al-Rabba
AU - Mohammad Aleidi
AU - Ayham Assaf
AU - Mahdi Qasaymeh
AU - Ibrahim Al-Natsheh
AU - Mohammad Al-Nayef
AU - Razan Abbasi
AU - Ola Soudah
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
JO - Saudi journal of medicine & medical sciences
DO - 10.4103/sjmms.sjmms_319_26
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42974580
AB - Background Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)-related symptoms may affect medical students and interns.Objective To determine the prevalence of EDS and OSA in medical students and interns from Jordan and its association with academic performance.Methods This cross-sectional survey was conducted between November 2025 and February 2026 and included medical students and interns from multiple medical schools in Jordan. Participants completed Arabic versions of the Berlin Questionnaire and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and reported GPA categories. EDS was defined as ESS >10; high risk for OSA was determined using the Berlin Questionnaire classification. Bivariate P values were adjusted using the Benjamini-Hochberg procedure, and simultaneous-entry logistic regression was performed.Results A total of 642 participants were included, with the majority being female (61.5%). Overall, 174 (27.1%) partcipants had EDS and 68 (10.6%) were at high risk for OSA. High-risk participants had higher ESS scores than low-risk participants (median [IQR], 9.5 [5.0] vs. 8.0 [6.0]; adjusted P< 0.001). The association persisted even when the fatigue items of the Berlin Questionnaire were removed and only the snoring/witnessed-apnea domain was used (adjusted P = 0.013). Female sex (adjusted OR: 1.64; 95% CI, 1.11-2.42; P = 0.014) and observed apnea (adjusted OR: 2.65; 95% CI: 1.41-4.99; P = 0.002) were independently associated with EDS. GPA was not associated with EDS. Model discrimination was limited (AUC: 0.633), with a sensitivity of 6.9%.Conclusions Excessive daytime sleepiness was found to be common among medical students and interns in Jordan, and 1 in 10 participants met the questionnaire-based criteria of high risk for OSA. Female sex and observed apnea were independently associated with EDS, whereas academic performance was not. The limited discrimination and sensitivity of the model preclude its use as a screening tool.
SN - 1658-631X
SN - 2321-4856
ER -