CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Hospital has opened a new sleep disorders clinic in order to “meet the unique needs of Hispanic patients in the community."

Cleveland Clinic said in a news release more than 50% of Hispanic people in the United States do not get 7 hours of sleep at night.

Dr. Cinthya Pena Orbea, the director of the clinic, said Hispanic people are at particular risk for sleep apnea “due to structural and psychosocial barriers.”

“This will be a unique sleep clinic that will offer patient-centered care that is bilingual as well as bicultural to best meet the Hispanic community,” she said in the release. “About 44% of Hispanic patients report that communication problems from language or cultural differences are a major factor contributing to worse health outcomes than seen in other adults in the United States.”

She said hypertension, diabetes and heart disease are highly prevalent in this demographic and that proper sleep helps prevent these conditions.

The clinic will be open on Wednesdays to start, but days will be added as needed.

Pena Orbea moved to the U.S. from Ecuador in 2011 and joined the Cleveland Clinic in 2019. She has wanted to create a clinic meant to serve the Hispanic population since she immigrated.

In particular, Pena Orbea wants to look at how “social determinants of health affect the low rate of patients in this population seeking care for their sleep problems.”

Her work shows only 63% of Hispanic people who receive a referral for a sleep study actually complete it.

“I would like to learn from our Hispanic patients more about the barriers that prevent them from getting the care they need so that we can design culturally tailored interventions to address these barriers and promote health equity in this growing population,” Pena Orbea said in the release.

Patients seeking to make appointments in Spanish at Cleveland Clinic, for this clinic or any other service, can call 216-444-2538, option 7 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.