Economic costs associated with insomnia in adults with subthreshold depression or major depressive disorder

Previous studies have found substantial costs to be associated with depression and insomnia (as separate entities).

To estimate healthcare service use and costs associated with insomnia in Australian adults experiencing subthreshold depression or major depressive disorder (MDD).

Healthcare service use and productivity loss were extracted from the cross-sectional 2020-2022 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing data. Insomnia and depression were assessed using questions aligned with DSM-IV criteria. Weighted two-part models were used to calculate average annual costs (presented as 2021-2022 Australian dollars).

The analytical sample meeting subthreshold depression or MDD criteria consisted of 1331 adults (aged 40.5 ± 16.1 years; 59% female; insomnia prevalence: 84%). Healthcare service use and healthcare costs between individuals with insomnia and those without insomnia were similar in the MDD group. For subthreshold depression, healthcare costs were significantly higher for those with insomnia compared with those without insomnia (Δ = A$990, 95% CI: 234 to 1747), but healthcare resource use was not significantly different. Productivity loss among employed people and reduced employment were much greater (although the difference did not reach statistical significance) in adults with insomnia compared with those without insomnia.

Healthcare resource use among adults with depression was similar in those with and without insomnia. However, higher healthcare costs associated with insomnia were observed in adults with subthreshold depression. Further studies are encouraged to understand the nature of the increased healthcare cost associated with insomnia in individuals with subthreshold depression and to optimise healthcare service use in people with comorbid depression and insomnia.