Comorbidity of chronic insomnia with medical problems.
OBJECTIVE
Determine the comorbidity of insomnia with medical problems.


METHODS
Cross-sectional and retrospective.


METHODS
Community-based population of 772 men and women, aged 20 to 98 years old.


METHODS
Self-report measures of sleep, health, depression, and anxiety.


RESULTS
People with chronic insomnia reported more of the following than did people without insomnia: heart disease (21.9% vs 9.5%), high blood pressure (43.1% vs 18.7%), neurologic disease (7.3% vs 1.2%), breathing problems (24.8% vs 5.7%), urinary problems (19.7% vs 9.5%), chronic pain (50.4% vs 18.2%), and gastrointestinal problems (33.6% vs 9.2%). Conversely, people with the following medical problems reported more chronic insomnia than did those without those medical problems: heart disease (44.1% vs 22.8%), cancer (41.4% vs 24.6%), high blood pressure (44.0% vs 19.3%), neurologic disease (66.7% vs 24.3%), breathing problems (59.6% vs 21.4%), urinary problems (41.5% vs 23.3%), chronic pain (48.6% vs 17.2%), and gastrointestinal problems (55.4% vs 20.0%). When all medical problems were considered together, only patients with high blood pressure, breathing problems, urinary problems, chronic pain, and gastrointestinal problems continued to have statistically higher levels of insomnia than those without these medical disorders.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates significant overlap between insomnia and multiple medical problems. Some research has shown it is possible to treat insomnia that is comorbid with select psychiatric (depression) and medical (eg, pain and cancer) disorders, which in turn increases the quality of life and functioning of these patients. The efficacy of treating insomnia in many of the above comorbid disorders has not been tested, indicating a need for future treatment research.
Taylor
Daniel J
DJ
Department of Psychology, The University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA. djtaylor@unt.edu
Mallory
Laurel J
LJ
Lichstein
Kenneth L
KL
Durrence
H Heith
HH
Riedel
Brant W
BW
Bush
Andrew J
AJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires