Related Experiment Videos
The relationship between chronically disrupted sleep and healthcare use
Vishesh K Kapur1, Susan Redline, F Javier Nieto
1Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle 98104, USA. vkapur@u.washington.edu
Sleep
|May 11, 2002
Summary
Sleep disorders like sleep apnea and insomnia are linked to higher healthcare use. Even mild sleep issues can increase healthcare costs in the general population.
Area of Science:
- Sleep Medicine
- Public Health
- Healthcare Utilization
Background:
- Sleep disorders are prevalent in the community.
- Healthcare utilization is a significant cost driver.
- Understanding the link between sleep and healthcare use is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between various sleep issues and healthcare utilization.
- To determine if chronic sleep deprivation, disruption, sleepiness, insomnia, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) increase healthcare use.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 6440 participants from the Sleep Heart Health Study (SHHS).
- Utilized polysomnography data (Apnea Hypopnea Index, CT90, arousal index) and sleep-related symptoms.
- Healthcare utilization indirectly measured by the modified Chronic Disease Score (CDS) based on medication data.
Main Results:
- Higher Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) and Epworth scores correlated with increased CDS (6-9%).
- Sleep apnea was associated with 18% greater CDS compared to no sleep apnea.
- Insomnia, sleepiness, and fatigue were linked to increased CDS in individuals without significant sleep-disordered breathing.
Conclusions:
- Subjective and objective sleep problems are associated with increased healthcare utilization in a community sample.
- While individual increases may be modest, the high prevalence of these sleep issues suggests a substantial healthcare cost burden.