Hits and misses: screening commercial drivers for obstructive sleep apnea using guidelines recommended by a joint task force.

Objective: To evaluate joint task force criteria-based screening for severe obstructive sleep apnea (s-OSA) in commercial drivers.

Methods: Among a community-based cohort of licensed commercial vehicle drivers, we assessed utility of the joint task force criteria. We conducted full, 14-channel overnight polysomnography in all drivers, defining s-OSA as an apnea-hypopnea index of 30 or more per hour.

Screening for severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in hypertensive outpatients.

The authors attempted to validate a 2-stage strategy to screen for severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (s-OSAS) among hypertensive outpatients, with polysomnography (PSG) as the gold standard. Using a prospective design, outpatients with hypertension were recruited from medical outpatient clinics. Interventions included (1) assessment of clinical data; (2) home sleep testing (HST); and (3) 12-channnel, in-laboratory PSG.

In-home, self-assembled sleep studies are useful in diagnosing sleep apnea in the elderly.

Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common and treatable among the elderly. Yet, few older adults seek evaluation for OSA at sleep disorders centers. The authors assessed the feasibility of a two-stage screening procedure for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in a community-based sample of older adults.

Familiarity with and use of accommodations and supports among postsecondary students with mental illnesses.

Objective: Many persons with serious mental illnesses are interested in pursuing postsecondary education and are doing so in increasing numbers. Accommodations can be essential, but limited research suggests that few formally seek accommodations, although increased efforts to heighten awareness may be changing this. The purpose of this study was to examine whether students with mental illnesses are increasingly aware of, and utilize, accommodations and academic supports and to identify the supports that are most used and perceived to be most helpful.