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Distribution of Chronotypes among a Sample of Iraqi Kurdish Medical Students
Awring M Raoof1, Yasin A Asaad1, Tariq S Al-Hadithi1
1Department of Community Medicine, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq.
Insights
Most Iraqi Kurdish medical students are intermediate chronotypes. Morning types were more prevalent in males, with significant gender differences observed in chronotype distribution.
Area of Science:
- Chronobiology
- Medical Education
- Sleep Science
Background:
- Chronotypes, reflecting individual diurnal preferences, influence academic performance and well-being.
- Understanding chronotype distribution is crucial for optimizing learning environments in medical schools.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence and distribution of chronotypes among medical students in Iraq.
- To investigate potential gender-specific differences in chronotype patterns.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive cross-sectional study involving 580 medical students at Hawler Medical University.
- The reduced version of the Horne and Ostberg Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQr) was utilized.
- Data collection occurred between January and March 2013.
Main Results:
- The majority of students (52.6%) identified as intermediate chronotypes.
- Morning chronotypes constituted 24.1% and evening chronotypes 23.3% of the sample.
- Significant gender differences were found in the distribution of morning, intermediate, and evening types (P <0.001).
Conclusions:
- Medical students in this Iraqi cohort predominantly exhibit intermediate chronotypes.
- The prevalence of morning types, particularly among males, was higher than reported in some Western populations.
- Gender significantly impacts chronotype classification within this student group.
Objectives:
The aim of this study was to assess the distribution of chronotypes in a sample of Iraqi Kurdish medical students.
Methods:
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Hawler Medical University College of Medicine in Erbil City, Iraq, between 1(st) January and 31(st) March 2013. A total of 580 students were given the reduced version of the Horne and Ostberg Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQr), a close-ended self-administered questionnaire.
Results:
Of the 580 students, 130 (22.4%) were male and 450 (77.6%) were female. The mean age ± standard deviation was 20.3 ± 1.45 years, with a range of 17-24 years. Most of the students (52.6%) were in the intermediate class, followed by morning type (24.1%) and evening type (23.3%). Significant gender differences were detected in the proportion of morning, intermediate and evening types (P <0.001). The mean scores for the female students were 14.8 ± 2.2 and the mean scores for the male students were 14.6 ± 7.3, with no statistically significant differences (P = 0.45).
Conclusion:
Students in the College of Medicine were mostly classified as intermediate types. The morning type was more common among this student population, particularly male students, than has been reported in similar age groups in some Western countries. There was a significant gender difference in the proportion of MEQr types.
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