Rise in sleep apnea in Hispanic adults

According to a new health study, 14% of Hispanic men and 6% of Hispanic women have sleep apnea.

Researchers are trying to solve this problem.

Dr. Cynthia Pena Orbea is leading the way to help solve a problem in the Hispanic community: sleep disorders.

“Has been associated with chronic conditions, such as hypertension and diabetes, and these are associated with heart disease, which is one of the leading causes of death in the Hispanic population,” Orbea said.

According to the CDC, about one in three Latino adults sleep less than seven hours. In Orbea’s study, only 63% of Hispanics who get a referral for a sleep study complete it. Taking action, she opened up the Hispanic Sleep Clinic at Lutheran Hospital, which is part of the Cleveland Clinic.

About 44% of Hispanic patients say communication issues, like language, lead to worse health outcomes.

This new clinic provides bilingual and bicultural services from start to finish.

“They’re able to feel that provider-patient concordance is very important,” Orbea said.

And so far?

“The common comment that I get is they wish they could get this type of service from different specialties,” Orbea said.

Now, she plans to continue her research on why the Hispanic community struggles with sleep apnea.

“To talk to different people from urban areas, rural areas, people who have access to health care, people who don’t have access to health care,” she said.

By the way, this clinic offers these services to anyone who asks to be seen, not just Hispanics.

The hope is that programs like this will expand in other communities, especially ones with large Hispanic populations.