Dados do Trabalho

Título

ADAPTATION OF THE USE OF ACTIGRAPHY FOR THE STUDY OF THE SLEEP-WAKE CYCLE IN UNDERGRADUATE MEDICINE STUDENTS: A PILOT STUDY

Introdução

Actigraphy is a diagnostic method to evaluate disturbances in the sleep-wake cycle. It provides data about sleep in the natural environment of an individual through the parameters: subjective latency of night sleep, time of onset and ending, WASO (Wake After Sleep Onset), number of night awakenings, total time in bed in minutes, total time of night sleep in minutes and sleep efficiency. It’s done through an accelerometer called actigraph. Sleep-wake cycle alterations common in individuals who are exposed to stressful situations, such as medical students, a group subject to physical and/or mental disturbances, may be measured through actigraphy. This work is a pilot study that aims to adequate instruments and procedures used in the full study.

Objetivo

to execute a pilot study, through actigraphy, in order to optimize the collection and registering of data.

Métodos

The study was submitted and approved by the Commitee of Ethics and Research. From the list of students enrolled from the 1st to the 12th semesters, 50 students were randomly drawn and invited, by e-mail, to take part in the research and were communicated about the procedures to schedule a visit to wear the actigraph. In the scheduled date, the participants received the necessary instructions and were notified to take notes of complications or of the need to remove the device before the scheduled hour. The actigraph was to be worn for 7 days.

Resultados

No replies were obtained from the invitations sent by e-mail, so it was necessary to invite presentially with nominal listing of interested subjects. The main difficulty was the absence of recorded data. From the total sample (50), we did not obtain data from 14 participants (28%). Norms of use by the manufacturer were followed. This impass engendered an adaptation in the aforementioned norms for this study, namely the sequential deactivation and reactivation of the software in subsequent placements.

Conclusões

we realized that an additional phase is necessary, based on the frequency in which the actigraph was used in this pilot study involving multiple volunteers in a sequentially. This additional phase is not necessary when the evaluation is done less frequently. The adaptations made will be useful in the definitive data collection (in the full study). Considering that Medical school is highly demanding, the sleep evaluation done in the full study will be able to guide and aid these future health professionals.

Palavras-chave

actigraphy, medical students