[Attitude toward insomnia: survey of 6043 French general practitioners].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the attitudes of French general practitioners (GPs) about insomnia and its effect on patients' physical health and work.


METHODS
A questionnaire about patients with insomnia and its diagnosis, treatment, and consequences was distributed to a representative sample of 8000 GPs.


RESULTS
6,043 GPs completed and returned the questionnaires. They estimated the prevalence of insomnia in their patients at 18.1%. They identified the principal causes of insomnia as anxiety (58.8%) and work issues (54%). Nearly 45% reported that they always raise the subject of sleep with their patients. For 62.4% sleep problems reflect another disorder rather than being a primary syndrome. Nearly two-thirds (60.2%) do not prescribe medication at the first complaint. When prescribing hypnotics, 81.3% also recommended sleep hygiene measures. Most (68.5%) agreed that insomnia affects concentration, memory, and attention. Almost all employed patients with insomnia complained of work-related effects, such as loss of productivity and absenteeism.


CONCLUSIONS
Insomnia and its management are topics of strong interest for GPs.
Léger
D
D
Centre du sommeil, Hôtel-Dieu de Paris, APHP, Paris. damien.leger@htd.ap-hop-paris.fr
Allaert
F-A
FA
Massuel
M-A
MA
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010821:Physicians, Family; D015995:Prevalence; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires