Prevalence of Sleep Apnea and Sleepiness in Adults With and Without HIV in Mwanza, Tanzania: Baseline Results From an Ongoing Cohort Study

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the baseline survey of participants aged > 30 years enrolled in the Mwanza HIV SA was defined as an oxygen desaturation index (ODI) of ≥ 5 events/h. EDS was defined as an Epworth Sleepiness Scale score (ESS) of ≥ 11. The median age was 46 and 43 in PLWH and PWoH, respectively. The prevalence of sleep apnea was similar between PLWH and PWoH (17% and 19%, respectively; adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.60-1.17). In contrast, the prevalence of EDS (ESS score ≥ 11) was higher in PWoH (21%) than in PLWH (13%) (aOR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.41-0.83). In a multivariable model, factors associated with SA were older age, alcohol use, higher BMI category, hypertension and depression. Both objectively measured SA and subjectively reported EDS are common in Tanzanian adults. SA was strongly associated with overweight or obesity, suggesting that the prevalence of SA will grow with projected increases in age and obesity rates in Tanzania.