Perceived risk, symptoms and help-seeking behaviour for obstructive sleep apnoea among undergraduate medical students: a qualitative study

Background: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a well-known type of sleep disorder that is commonly underdiagnosed. Undergraduate medical students are said to be a paradoxical group because despite their theoretical knowledge about symptoms of OSA, they often omit their own symptoms of OSA. This may lead to delayed recognition of symptoms and identification of OSA. Sparse evidence exists regarding how they recognize their own OSA symptoms, interpret their risk and address their condition. The current study aims to explore the self-perceived risk of OSA, awareness of symptoms and help-seeking actions related to OSA among undergraduate medical students. Methods: A qualitative research design using purposive sampling was conducted among 36 undergraduate medical students from a medical college. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: The results underscore the complex interplay between normalization of sleep symptoms, limited OSA awareness, reluctance to help-seeking and the prominent impact of medical college life on lifestyle. Four major themes were identified: limited awareness and misconceptions about OSA, normalization of symptoms, barriers to help-seeking behaviour, and the burden of medical school lifestyle on sleep health. The analysis revealed that only a few students demonstrated accurate knowledge of OSA. The majority of the students reported symptoms such as lifestyle changes and daytime sleepiness related to academic burden, yet help-seeking behaviour was low, with the majority opting for self-directed changes such as increasing exercise and adjusting their sleep schedules. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study reveals an alarming mismatch that exists among awareness of OSA, self-experience of symptoms and help-seeking behaviour among medical students. Hence, recognizing OSA as a potential personal health concern may represent an important step toward improving risk perception and encouraging timely help-seeking behaviour among future healthcare professionals.