[Insomnia and sleeping disorders in the elderly in general practice].
Sleeping disorders in general practice are common, but as the main reason for seeking help they only account for 1% of all consultations in all age groups. The aim of our study was to find out the overall frequency and consulting patterns for sleeping disorders in patients (over sixty years old) in general practices in eastern Austria. In this age group, sleeping disorders accounted for 7% of all reasons for seeking consultation. This percentage increased to 45% if the patients were asked if they suffered from insomnia. Half of the patients reported nycturia, but not every patient interpreted this occurrence as a real sleeping disorder. In accordance with the literature, we found a high prevalence of sleeping disorders in the unselected elderly patients visiting the surgery for highly different reasons.
Kamenski
Gustav
G
Arbeitsgemeinschaft zur Erforschung der Aligemeinmedizin, Angern und Niederösterreichische Gesellschaft für Allgemeinmedizin (NOGAM) Angern, Osterreich. kamenski@nextra.at
Pichler
Ingrid
I
Zöhrer
Beate
B
Dobbs
Frank
F
Jones
Rupert
R
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology