PREVALENCE OF SNORING AND SLEEP BREATHING-RELATED DISORDERS IN CHINESE, MALAY AND INDIAN ADULTS IN SINGAPORE

This study investigated the prevalence of snoring and symptoms of slee p breathing-related disorders in the multi ethnic population of Singap ore (3 million people, comprising 75% Chinese, 15% Malay and 7% Indian ). A multistaged, area cluster, disproportionate stratified, random sa mpling of adults aged 20-74 yrs was used to obtain a sample of 2,298 s ubjects (65% response), with approximately equal numbers of Chinese, M alay and Indian and in each 10 yr age group.An interviewer-administere d field questionnaire was used to record symptoms of snoring and breat hing disturbances during sleep witnessed by a room-mate and other pers onal and health-related data. The weighted point estimate land 95% con fidence interval) of the whole population prevalence of snoring was 6. 8% (5.3-8.3), There were pronounced ethnic differences among Chinese, 6.2% (4.4-8.1); Malay. 8.1% (6.1-10.2) and Indian, 10.9% (8.5-13.4), T he minimum whole population prevalence by the most restricted symptom criteria for defining sleep breathing-related disorder mas 0.43% (0.05 -0.8%), Similar marked ethnic differences in rates were observed using various symptom criteria. The ethnic differences in sleep breathing s ymptoms paralleled the differences in body mass index, neck circumfere nce and hypertension, but statistically significant differences remain ed after adjustment for sex, age: and these known associated factors, Marked ethnic differences in snoring and sleep breathing-related disor ders were observed in Chinese,Malays and Indians in Singapore, which w ere only partly explained by known factors of sex, age and body habitu s.