Freshman class

Equal opportunity sleep disorder?

Lichuan Ye, assistant professor of nursing

PhD, University of Pennsylvania

Representative publication: "Predictors of Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea," (with T.E. Weaver) Journal of Advanced Nursing, 63(1), 2008

My interest in sleep disorders arose from my clinical practice and observation on how sleep can impact the other two-thirds of our lives. Historically, sleep apnea has been viewed as a disease primarily in males. In fact, while it is more common in men, it is not rare in women. Research suggests that 90 percent of the women who have a sleep apnea have not been clinically diagnosed. My research is aimed at understanding why this gender bias occurs, and promoting clinical approaches that will promote recognition and management of sleep disorders.