German Version of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale

Abstract

Background: The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is a questionnaire widely used in English speaking countries for assessment of subjective daytime sleepiness. Objective: Our purpose was to translate and validate the ESS for use in German-speaking countries. Methods: A German translation of the ESS was administered to 159 healthy German-speaking Swiss and to 174 patients with various sleep disorders. Results: The mean ± SD of ESS scores in normals was 5.7 ± 3.0, in patients it was 13.0 ± 5.1 (p < 0.001). Scores were not correlated with age or gender but with the percentage of time spent at an oxygen saturation Conclusions: Our data validate the ESS for application in German-speaking populations. The simplicity, reliability and the apparent lack of relevant influences of language and cultural background on performance of the ESS makes it a valuable tool for clinical management and research.