Awareness, Knowledge, and Stigma Associated with Sleep Disorders: A Cross-sectional Study among the General Population

Background: Sleep disorders, such as insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), are increasingly recognized as major public health issues.However, awareness, knowledge, and societal perceptions surrounding these disorders remain limited, contributing to stigma and underdiagnosis.Objective: This research was designed to determine the awareness level, knowledge, and stigma about sleep disorders among the general public.Procedures: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 231 participants from various demographic backgrounds.A systematic questionnaire was used to collect data on awareness, knowledge sources, familiarity with symptoms and treatments, social attitudes, and stigma experiences related to sleep disorders.Results: The majority of participants (77.05%) were between the ages of 26 and 35, and 67.09% lived in cities.Other sleep disorders had the highest awareness (38.52%), followed by OSA (28.57%) and insomnia (17.31%).Friends and relatives were the primary sources of information (34.63%).More than half (55.84%) were familiar with insomnia symptoms, while 47.18% identified OSA symptoms (p = 0.0407).The vast majority (77.92%) were aware of treatment choices (p = 0.3243).Notably, 68.83% of participants believe people with sleep disorders are misunderstood by society.They were generally associated with negative character qualities such as overthinking (30.30%) and laziness (17.74%) (p = 0.0053).Concerning stigma, 49.35% reported feeling criticized or misunderstood, primarily by friends (42.42%), whereas 38.52% experienced discrimination or isolation.Conclusion: While treatment familiarity is moderate, significant misconceptions and stigma surrounding sleep disorders persist.These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted awareness initiatives and educational programs to enhance public understanding of these conditions.