Sleep Disordered Breathing: An Epidemiological Study among Albanian Children and Adolescents

Yllka Abazi, Fabian Cenko, Marianna Cardella, Gjergji Tafa and Giuseppina Laganà
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Yllka Abazi: Department of Biomedical Science, Catholic University Our Lady of Good Counsel, 1000 Tirana, Albania
Fabian Cenko: Department of Biomedical Science, Catholic University Our Lady of Good Counsel, 1000 Tirana, Albania
Marianna Cardella: Private Practice, 00100 Rome, Italy
Gjergji Tafa: Private Practice, 1000 Tirana, Albania
Giuseppina Laganà: Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-11

Abstract: Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) comprises a group of diseases characterized by alterations in the frequency and/or depth of breathing during sleep. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of SDB in a group of Albanian children and adolescents and to describe its social, physiological, psychological, sleep-related, and anthropometric risk factors, in relation to the sociodemographic situation. A total of 6087 participants (mean age: 10.42 years, range: 6 to 15 years, 52.3% females and 47.7% males) attending public schools all over Albania took part in the cross-sectional study. On a sample of 6087 questionnaires distributed, 4702 (77.25% of the original sample) were returned and included in the study. High risk status for SDB was assessed using the Paediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ). The prevalence of SDB was 7.9%. No statistically significant difference was found for gender at high risk for SBD. Compared to participants living in urban aeras (7.3%), participants living in rural areas (10.4%) reported significantly higher SDB prevalence rates. No other significant correlations were detected between the high-risk subjects and the age. The prevalence of the subjects at high risk of SBD obese participants (20.8%) was statistically higher than among nonobese ones (6.3%). SDB is highly prevalent in Albanian growing population and further prevalence studies are recommended.

Keywords: SDB; questionnaire PSQ-SRDB; Albanian population (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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