What Influences Sleep Study Completion Among People with HIV in Care?

Led by Dr. Zainab Al-Tameemi, R3, “What Influences Sleep Study Completion Among People with HIV in Care?” was presented at Sleep 2025, the annual Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) conference in Seattle this month.

Drs. Heidi Crane, professor (Allergy and Infectious Diseases), Vishesh Kapur, professor (Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine) and Stephanie Ruderman, research scientist (Allergy and Infectious Diseases) collaborated on the project.

This is the first study to investigate characteristics associated with receiving sleep studies among people with HIV (PWH) engaged in care. Despite the high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea and fatigue in this population, only 4% of nearly 4,000 PWH in their cohort had undergone a sleep study between 2008 and 2023. Those who did were more likely to have bothersome fatigue, better HIV control (higher CD4 counts and viral suppression), and more comorbidities like diabetes and hypertension.

Their novel findings have not been previously reported in the literature. Given that this population is both vulnerable and often underrepresented in sleep research, the researchers hope this work brings more attention to sleep health equity, encourages providers to recognize and prioritize this issue, and informs future efforts to improve access to care.