Daytime sleepiness and academic performance in medical students

• Published in: Arquivos de neuro-psiquiatria Vol. 60; no. 1; pp. 6 - 11
• Main Authors: Rodrigues, Raimundo Nonato D, Viegas, Carlos A A, Abreu E Silva, Aída A A, Tavares, Paulo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Academia Brasileira de Neurologia - ABNEURO 01.03.2002; Academia Brasileira de Neurologia (ABNEURO)
• Subjects: academic performance; Arousal; Circadian Rhythm - physiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; daytime sleepiness; Epworth Sleepiness Scale; Humans; medical students; NEUROSCIENCES; PSYCHIATRY; Sleep Stages - physiology; Students, Medical - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time Factors; Epworth Sleepiness Scale; Escala de Sonolência de Epworth; medical students; daytime sleepiness; sonolência diurna excessiva; estudantes de medicina; academic performance; desempenho acadêmico
• ISSN: 0004-282X; 1678-4227; 0004-282X; 1678-4227
• DOI: 10.1590/s0004-282x2002000100002

This report presents an analysis of the complaints of increasing daytime sleepiness as well as a study on their possible effects on the academic performance of medical students at the University of Brasilia. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale was applied to 172 medical students, at the beginning of August 1997 and at the end of November 1997. Academic performance was measured by analyzing the number of SS grades (from 9.0 to 10 over ten) and MM grades (from 5.0 to 6.9) attained in exams at the end of that school period. The results showed that at the beginning of the semester, 68 (39.53%) of these 172 students already presented with excessive daytime sleepiness, and that of the 104 remaining students, 38 (22%) developed daytime sleepiness by the end of the semester. Furthermore, it was observed that the sleepier students did not achieve as well as the others on their final examinations.