Sleep medicine in Thailand

Abstract

© Japanese Society of Sleep Research 2015. Sleep medicine practice and research in Thailand had been initiated since 20-30 years ago by physicians, scientists, and researchers from various specialties. The first polygraphic studies performed involved 2 diseases: Sudden Unexplained Death in Sleep and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Formal sleep laboratories services were first established in university hospitals in 1993-1994. Organization in sleep research, the Thai Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine Society (TRSMS) were founded in 1991 to help promote the interest in sleep medicine. Later on, physicians established the Sleep Society of Thailand in 2009 with the following missions: (1) to promote sleep medicine in Thailand through education, research and improvement of patient care; (2) to give sleep education to physicians, sleep technicians, other sleep related professions, and the public; and (3) to promote sleep health, education, and research and standardize the investigation and treatment of sleep disorders. However, with the burden of sleep disorders in Thailand, there is still the unmet need for the care of patients with sleep disorders. The crucial problems are insufficient amount of sleep professionals both sleep specialists and sleep technicians, as well as inadequate sleep laboratories with capacity to perform polysomnography. Thus, academic trainings for sleep professions in every discipline are urgently required to encourage the progression of sleep medicine in Thailand in the future.